FIVE  MESSAGES 
TO  TEACHERS  OF 


NETTIE  ALICE  SAWYER 


jt  0.  HUNNEWELL 


S        S27 

.:: 

Southern  Branch 
of  the 

University  of  California 

Los  Angeles 

Form  L-l 

\SU5 


C«rtp-  \ 


A   0.  HUHHtWU* 


This  book  is  DUE  on   the   last  date  stamped  below 


APR  2/H924 
APR  2  3  ino* 


MAY  2     195IP 


Form  L-9-5j»-7,'22 


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FIVE  MESSAGES 


FIVE   MESSAGES 

TO  TEACHERS  OF 

PRIMARY  READING 


By 
NETTIE    ALICE    SAWYER 

Formerly  Supervisor  of  Primary  Education,  Seattle,  Washington 

Author  of  "The  Little  Kingdom  Primer"  and 

"The  Little  Kingdom  First  Reader" 


47991 

RAND  McNALLY  &  COMPANY 

CHICAGO  NEW   YORK 


Copyright,  igij: 
By  Nettie  Alice  Sawyer 


Chicago 


DEDICATED   TO 

FRANK  B.  COOPER 

Superintendent  of  Schools,  Seattle,  Washington, 
whose  true  understanding  of  and  deep 
sympathy  with  the  needs  of  the  "little 
ones"  has  made  it  possible  for  the 
author  to  evolve  the  outlines  and  methods 
presented  herein  and  to  demonstrate 
their  practicability  for  our  Public  Schools 


^  CONTENTS 

<\  PAGE 

Dedication 5 


An  Opening  Word ---        9 


Message  One 11 

Model  Lesson  Illustrating  Blackboard  Work  Preliminary 
to  Book  Lessons. 


Message  Two  - 44 

Suggestions  for  Teaching  the  Primer  and  the  First  Reader. 

Message  Three 65 

Word  Study  as  Related  to  Reading. 

Message  Four 110 

Seat  Work  as  Related  to  Reading  and  Word  Study. 

Message  Five 145 

Outlines  of  Subject  Matter. 

Reference  Books    -------     - 212 

Index 215 

7 


FIVE   MESSAGES 

TO  TEACHERS  OF  PRIMARY  READING 


AN    OPENING   WORD 

AIMS   OF   FIRST-GRADE  WORK 

T^HE  leading  motive  in  all  first-grade  teaching  should 
be  to  develop  the  child.  Too  often  the  aim  seems 
to  be  merely  to  make  him  master  of  the  printed  page 
with  all  possible  haste. 

With  the  child's  development  as  the  chief  considera- 
tion, all  those  exercises  which  contribute  to  it  should 
be  included  in  his  instruction.  Reading  is  only  one 
of  these  exercises.  The  term  "development"  is  here 
used  to  include  the  mental,  moral,  and  physical  growth 
of  the  individual.  Instruction  which  partakes  of  this 
all-around  nature  is  decidedly  more  profitable  for  the 
child  than  that  which  is  narrower  in  its  scope. 

The  foregoing  suggestions  should  not  be  interpreted  as 
implying  that  to  teach  the  child  to  read  is  of  little  relative 
importance.  To  teach  him  to  read  properly  is  of  very 
great  importance;  that  is,  to  read  with  understanding 
and  appreciation  of  that  which  is  worth  reading.  Indeed, 
the  child's  best  development  is  dependent  upon  the  growth 
of  his  power  thus  to  read.  There  is,  therefore,  great 
necessity  for  him  to  have  reading  lessons  based,  even 
from  the  first,  upon  that  which  appeals  to  and  develops 
understanding  and  appreciation.     It  is  gratifying  to  note 


io  Five  Messages 

in  this  connection  that  the  most  successful  reading  les- 
sons, from  the  reading  standpoint  itself,  are  those  which 
meet  these  requirements.  Reading  lessons  of  this  descrip- 
tion only  have  a  right  to  consideration  as  a  factor  in 
the  child's  true  development.  Such  lessons  only  fulfill  the 
broad  aims  of  all  first-grade  teaching.  These  aims  may 
be  expressed  as  follows: 

i.  To  cause  thoughts  to  unfold  in  the  minds  of  pupils; 
to  open  up  new  interests  and  let  them  gradually  expand, 
rather  than  to  force  facts  or  appreciations  upon  pupils 
or  to  finish  a  subject  in  a  day. 

2.  To  stimulate  observation,  reflection,  and  expression, 
shaping  the  work  so  as  continually  to  give  pupils  things 
to  find  out  through  personal  experience  and  investigation 
through  inquiry,  and  all  other  possible  ways,  and  then  to 
be  reported  to  their  class. 

3.  To  keep  a  proper  balance  between  impression  and 
expression,  giving  due  importance  to  all  forms  of  the 
latter,  such  as  oral  reports  of  observations  and  expe- 
riences, reproduction  of  stories  and  poems,  songs,  drama- 
tizations, plays,  games,  drawings,  and  hand  work. 

4.  To  unify  the  subjects  taught,  correlating  them,  not 
presenting  them  as  separate  bits  of  knowledge. 

5.  To  bring  the  natural  activity  of  children  into  play, 
not  repressing  it  and  making  pupils  passive,  but  stimu- 
lating them  to  action. 

6.  To  help  pupils  form  wholesome  and  healthful 
habits  with  reference  to  their  physical  welfare. 

7.  To  develop  moral  character  by  means  of  lessons 
which  emphasize  such  traits  as  kindness,  obedience, 
industry,  thoughtfulness,  cleanliness,  and  honesty. 

8.  To  teach  children,  through  practice,  something  of 
the  secret  of  self-control  and  of  conduct  which  respects 
the  rights  of  others. 


MESSAGE   ONE 

MODEL  LESSONS  ILLUSTRATING  BLACKBOARD  WORK 
PRELIMINARY  TO  BOOK  LESSONS 

INTRODUCTION 
Steps  Preliminary  to  Blackboard  Lessons 

"DEFORE  beginning  the  blackboard  lessons  which  are 
to  occupy  the  months  of  September  and  October,  let 
the  teacher  study  the  outlines  in  Message  Five  in  order 
to  discover  possibilities  for  subject  matter.  Then  from 
these  outlines  let  her  select- such  topics  as  seem  best 
suited  to  the  needs  of  her  special  school.  At  this  point 
she  may  be  impressed  with  the  idea  that  much  remains 
to  be  done  after  all  possible  outlines  have  been  prepared. 
Methods  must  be  considered  which  are  suitable  to  accom- 
plish at  the  same  time  the  development  of  thought  and 
the  steps  preliminary  to  the  mastery  of  the  printed  page. 

A  Blackboard  Method  Sketched 

In  this  chapter,  an  attempt  is  made  to  sketch  a  method 
for  the  first  work  in  reading  which  meets  the  require- 
ments mentioned  above. 

This  sketch  does  not  suggest  a  ready-made  scheme 
which  will  relieve  teachers  of  all  responsibility.  Such 
schemes  only  rob  them  of  their  individuality  and  soon 
cause  their  work  to  become  meaningless.  Rather,  it 
presents  material  and  method  in  keeping  with  aims 
already  stated,  and  indicates  the  general  steps  necessary 
for  their  accomplishment. 

ii 


12  Five  Messages 

How  to  Understand  the  Point  of  this  Method 

Teachers  desiring  to  become  familiar  with  this  method 
are  requested  to  follow  to  the  letter  all  suggestions  found 
in  the  next  paragraph. 

Read  the  Opening  Word  carefully.  Next,  read  Message 
Five  to  ascertain  whether  it  offers  material  suitable  to 
accomplish  the  aims  stated  in  the  Opening  Word.  Then 
re-read  the  notes  accompanying  the  outlines  to  determine 
whether  each  is  consistent  with  the  outline  it  introduces. 
For  example,  read  the  note  accompanying  "The  Pets 
of  the  Home  and  School,"  p.  148.  Those  who  follow 
these  suggestions  can  scarcely  fail  to  get  the  underlying 
thought  and  general  plan  of  work. 

An  Imaginary  Teacher  Introduced 

At  this  point  Miss  Gray,  an  imaginary  teacher,  is 
introduced.  She  is  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the 
method  under  consideration  and  will  illustrate  it  by  con- 
ducting a  series  of  model  lessons,  teaching  a  class  of 
ordinary  six-year-old  beginners.  She  has  spent  the 
opening  days  of  school  in  organizing  and  making  ready 
for  the  regular  work,  which  begins  at  this  point. 

Before  Miss  Gray  calls  her  class  to  the  board,  please 
examine  her  daily  apportionment  of  time  for  reading 
and  the  subjects  most  closely  related  to  it. 

Morning  Opening  Exercises:  In  which  the  subject 
of  the  day  is  introduced.     15  minutes. 

Reading:  15  minutes  twice  daily  with  each  of  two 
classes.    60  minutes. 

Literature:  Including  story-telling,  dramatization,  and 
lessons  based  upon  poems.     20  minutes. 

Word  Study:     15  minutes  twice  daily  with  each  of 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  13 

two  classes.     60  minutes.     This  includes  various  word 
drills,  visualizations,  and  phonic  exercises. 
Songs  and  Games.     25  minutes. 

SERIES  I  OF  MODEL  LESSONS 

Illustrating  the  incidental  use  of  the  written  word  in  the 
earliest  stages  of  reading 

First  Lesson 

what  kitty  likes  best  to  eat 

"Children,  we  were  talking  yesterday  about  Mary's 
pet."  (Writes  the  word  "pet"  on  the  board  as  she  speaks 
it.)  "Do  you  remember  what  it  is?  Yes,  a  kitty." 
(Writes  the  word  "kitty"  as  she  speaks  it.)  "Can  you 
tell  me  something  that  every  pet"  (not  pronouncing 
"pet,"  but  pointing  to  the  written  word  and  asking 
pupils  to  give  it)  "needs?"  After  several  irrelevant 
suggestions  some  child  says,  "Something  to  eat,"  and 
Miss  Gray  answers,  "Yes,  something  to  eat."  (Writes 
"eat"  as  she  speaks  it.) 

From  this  point  on,  the  phrase  "waiting  for  pupils  to  give  it" 
will  be  expressed  by  printing  in  italics  the  words  that  pupils  are  to 
pronounce  when  the  teacher  points  to  them  and  pauses. 

"How  many  of  you  have  watched  a  kitty  eat?  Let 
us  make  a  list  of  the  things  kitty  likes  best  to  eat,  and. 
write  it  on  the  board."  They  thus  develop  the  following 
list: 

kitty 
milk 
bread 
meat 
Miss    Gray    so    directs    this    conversation    concerning 
kitty's  food  as  to  require  pupils  frequently  to  pronounce 


14  Five   Messages 

the  words  on  the  board,  at  the  same  time  following 
strictly  the  thought  of  her  lesson,  not  stopping  for  drill. 
Among  other  points  she  refers  to  a  kitty  that  has  bread 
and  milk  every  day  and  to  the  little  girl  who  never  for- 
gets to  feed  her.  She  finally  asks  the  class,  also  indi- 
viduals, to  name  again  the  things  that  kitty  likes,  as  she 
points  to  the  words  representing  them.  Thus,  at  the 
very  close  of  the  lesson,  she  makes  this  slight  attempt 
to  fix  these  words  in  the  minds  of  her  pupils,  but  does 
it  by  reviewing  the  thought  of  the  lesson. 

Before  sending  the  pupils  to  their  seats  she  tells  them 
to  watch  their  kitties  eat  and  to  be  ready  to-morrow  to 
tell  more  about  what  they  like. 

Discussion  of  First  Lesson 

The  conversation  recorded  above  might  have  taken 
place  without  the  aid  of  board  work,  as  do  many  such 
conversations  in  the  first  grade.  It  probably  would 
have  taken  place  in  that  manner  but  for  the  fact  that 
Miss  Gray,  recognizing  the  need  for  training  the  eye  to 
see  words  as  well  as  the  ear  to  hear  them,  decided  to 
improve  the  opportunity  here  afforded  for  such  training 
by  writing  incidentally  the  important  words  as  she  spoke 
them.  When  she  used  a  word  for  the  first  time  she  both 
spoke  and  wrote  it,  but  when  using  it  the  second  time  she 
pointed  to  it  and  paused  while  the  pupils  pronounced  it. 

Because  the  members  of  the  class  were  permitted  to 
share  freely  in  the  exercise,  they  were  interested  and, 
consequently,  gave  it  their  undivided  attention.  They 
soon  caught  the  idea  that  they  must  respond  readily  when 
the  teacher  pointed  to  a  word,  and  as  a  consequence  the 
conversation  was  not  interrupted  by  long  pauses  on  their 
part.     Of  course,   the  success  of  the  pupils  in  this  is 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  15 

accounted  for  by  the  fact  that  Miss  Gray  was  thoroughly 
familiar  both  with  thought  and  method,  and  therefore 
knew  how  to  keep  the  conversation  moving  smoothly. 

During  this  lesson  six  words  were  introduced,  as  follows: 
pet,  kitty,  eat,  milk,  bread,  and  meat.  As  words  commonly 
needed  in  future  work  occurred,  Miss  Gray  wrote  part 
of  them  upon  the  board.  Having  previously  planned 
her  lesson,  she  knew  what  words  would  thus  "occur," 
and  had  decided  which  of  them  it  would  be  best  to  bring 
out  at  this  particular  time.  At  the  close  of  the  period 
she  copied  these  words  into  a  notebook  to  which  she  will 
refer  in  preparing  her  future  word  drills,  and  will  impress 
them  in  accordance  with  methods  suggested  in  Mes- 
sage Three. 

Second  Lesson 
what  the  canary  bird  likes  best  to  eat 

In  response  to  the  teacher's  request  for  the  names  of 
other  pets,  a  little  girl  mentions  the  bird  which  she  has 
in  a  cage  at  home.  Miss  Gray  then  suggests  that  a  free 
bird  is  much  better  than  a  poor  little  "shut-in"  bird,  but 
that,  because  some  people  will  keep  birds  in  cages,  it  is 
all  the  more  necessary  to  think  about  their  care. 

In  a  lesson  not  recorded  here  the  class  discussed  "What 
the  Dog  Likes  Best  to  Eat."  Therefore  this  lesson  begins 
with  the  following  lists  on  the  board : 

kitty  dog                     bird 

milk  meat 

bread  bread 

meat  milk 

"Children,  did  you  ever  have  a  bird  that  liked  milk? 
No.  Did  you  ever  have  a  bird  that  liked  meat?  No. 
Will  a  bird  eat  bread  ?    Yes.     Does  it  like  anything  else 


16  Five  Messages 

better?  Yes,  seeds."  (Writes  the  word  "seeds"  under 
"bird"  as  she  speaks  it.)  "Is  there  anything  besides 
seeds  that  your  bird  likes  better  than  bread?  Yes,  fruit." 
(Writes  the  word  "fruit"  under  "seeds"  as  she  speaks 
it.)  "Is  there  anything  that  your  bird  likes  to  drink 
better  than  milk?  Yes,  water."  (Writes  "water.") 
The  board  now  contains  the  following  lists: 

kitty  dog  bird 

milk  meat  seeds 

bread  bread  fruit 

meat  milk  bread 

water 

"Children,  did  you  ever  see  a  kitty  that  liked  seeds? 
No.  Did  you  ever  see  a  dog  that  liked  seeds?  No. 
Did  you  ever  see  a  kitty  that  liked  fruit?  No.  What 
one  thing  do  they  all  like?    Yes,  bread." 

After  comparing  the  tastes  of  the  pets  in  this  way, 
Miss  Gray  closes  the  lesson  by  having  the  class  name 
the  things  each  pet  likes  best  as  she  points  to  the  words 
that  represent  them.  Thus,  at  the  very  close  of  the 
lesson,  she  makes  another  slight  attempt  to  fix  the  words 
in  the  minds  of  her  pupils  through  review  of  the  thought. 

Discussion  of  Second  Lesson 

Perhaps  some  one  asks,  "Should  the  above  lessons  be 
called  reading?"  Possibly  not,  according  to  some  defini- 
tions of  reading.  Nevertheless,  they  afford  opportunity 
for  the  most  important  part  of  all  reading,  —  the  thought 
part.  Strictly  speaking,  they  are  conversations  in  which 
the  written  word  is  introduced  incidentally.  It  is  our 
endeavor  to  have  the  written  word  mean  all  it  can  to  the 
pupil    from    its    very    first    presentation.     Surely    these 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  ij 

lessons  could  not  be  called  mere  word  study,  because  the 
sentence,  not  the  word,  is  the  unit  of  thought.  For 
example,  when  Miss  Gray  said,  "Did  you  ever  have  a 
bird  that  liked  meat  better  than  seeds  t"  her  unit  of  thought 
was  the  whole  question.  The  three  words  ' '  bird, ' ' '  'meat, ' ' 
and  "seeds"  written  upon  the  board  were  not  isolated, 
but  held  together  by  her  oral  words,  which  accompanied 
them  and  gave  them  their  setting. 

Whatever  the  above  lessons  may  be  called,  they  certainly 
give  opportunity  for  work  with  beginners  which  more 
nearly  approaches  true  reading  than  do  those  beginning 
lessons  which  place  much  emphasis  upon  form  and, 
consequently,  little  upon  thought. 


Third  Lesson 
the  care  of  pets 

"Children,  let  us  talk  about  what  our  pets  need.  We 
have  already  talked  about  one  thing  they  need.  Yes, 
something  to  eat."  (Places  on  the  board  the  lists  of  food 
previously  developed.)  "What  do  we  call  all  this? 
Yes,  their  food."  (Writes  the  word  "food"  as  she  speaks 
it.)  "Where  do  the  pets  get  their  food?  Yes,  they  find 
a  little,  but  we  give  them  most  of  it.  Let  us  talk  about 
the  part  we  give  them.  Does  our  kitty  find  milk,  or 
must  we  give  it  to  her?  Should  we  expect  our  little  dog 
to  hunt  for  his  meat ?  No.  Why?  He  would  go  hungry, 
or  else  it  would  make  a  little  tramp  dog  of  him  and  a 
little  thief.  Sometimes  a  little  tramp  dog  gets  poison. 
So  we  must  give  our  little  dog  meat  and  other  kinds  of  food." 

The  class  names  the  kinds  of  food  and  considers  how 
they  should  be  supplied  to  the  different  pets,  and  how 


18  Five  Messages 

children  can  thus  help  in  the  care  of  pets.  A  point  is 
made  of  the  cruelty  of  neglecting  to  feed  them.  Miss 
Gray  now  suggests  that  there  is  something  else  which 
pets  need.  "Yes,  each  pet  needs  a  bed."  (Writes  the 
word  "bed.")  The  children  then  talk  about  the  best 
kind  of  bed  for  each  pet,  where  it  should  be  put,  of  what 
it  should  be  made,  and  how  cared  for.  They  next  com- 
pare the  beds  of  the  different  pets,  accounting  for  their 
differences. 

The  lesson  closes  with  a  summary  of  the  ways  in  which 
children  may  care  for  pets. 

Discussion  of  Third  Lesson 

The  thought  taken  up  in  this  lesson  was  partly  review 
and  partly  advance.  That  concerning  the  food  was 
largely  review,  while  that  concerning  the  bed  was  advance. 
It  is  usually  best  to  let  the  old  and  the  new  overlap  in 
this  manner. 

The  review  was  not  apparent  so  far  as  the  pupils  were 
concerned,  for  a  new  thought,  the  care  of  pets,  had  been 
introduced,  which  freshened  and  gave  new  meaning  to 
a  reconsideration  of  what  they  had  already  taken  up 
under  the  guise  of  what  pets  like  best  to  eat. 

The  whole  secret  of  successful  review  is  here  suggested. 
Teachers  should  not  require  pupils,  merely  for  the  sake 
of  drill,  to  go  over  the  very  same  thoughts  two  lessons  in 
succession,  for  in  so  doing  the  class  usually  loses  interest. 
Teachers  should  select,  rather,  closely  related  subjects 
for  consecutive  days,  so  that  the  new  thought  of  one  day 
will  continue  that  of  the  preceding,  thus  naturally  calling 
for  a  review  of  it,  as  in  the  case  of  the  present  lesson. 

The  point,  then,  in  here  presenting  this  third  lesson  is 
to  illustrate  how  such  review  may  be  accomplished. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  iq 

Fourth  Lesson 
the  story  of  amy  stewart1 

"Children,  I  wish  to  tell  you  the  story  of  a  little  girl." 
(Writes  the  word  "girl"  as  she  speaks  it.)  "Her  name 
was  Amy  Stewart.  She  was  a  little  girl  who  loved  to 
play."  (Writes  the  word  "play.")  "She  wanted  to 
play  all  day  long.  One  day  her  mother  said,  'Amy,  I 
think  you  are  old  enough  to  learn  to  work.'  "  (Writes 
the  word  "work.")  "Amy  answered,  'Oh,  mother,  I 
love  to  play.  I  do  not  want  to  work.'  Her  mother 
said,  'You  know  that  you  have  nice  little  pets  that  need 
food.  Your  kitty  needs  milk,  your  bird  needs  seeds  and 
water.  They  need  you  to  care  for  them,  Amy.  Mother 
thinks  you  should  learn  to  work.'  But  Amy  answered, 
'Oh!  I  love  to  play.  I  do  not  want  to  work.'  Then  she 
ran  off  to  her  play. 

"She  soon  met  a  little  squirrel"  (writing  the  word 
"squirrel")  "and  said,  'Little  squirrel,  you  have  nothing 
to  do  but  eat.  Come  and  play  with  me.'  The  little 
squirrel  answered,  'I  have  a  large  family  to  care  for. 
They  need  much  to  eat.  I  must  put  away  food  for  winter. 
I  have  no  time  to  play.     I  must  work.' 

"Just  then  a  bee"  (writing  the  word  "bee")  "came 
buzzing  by.  Amy  turned  and  said,  'Little  bee,  come  and 
play  with  me.  Surely  you  have  nothing  to  do  but  to  eat 
and  to  play.'  But  the  bee  answered,  'Did  n't  you  know 
that  I  had  to  work  all  day  long  at  making  honey?  I 
never  play.' 

"So  Amy  walked  away.  She  was  thinking.  But  in 
a  little  while  she  met  a  little  ant"   (writing  the  word 

1  Adapted  for  this  purpose  from  Kindergarten  Stories  and  Morning 
Talks  by  Sara  E.  Wiltse.     Ginn  and  Company,  publishers. 


20  Five   Messages 

"ant")  "carrying  a  crumb  of  bread.  She  asked  the  little 
ant  to  come  and  play,  but  he  answered,  '  I  am  so  happy  to 
have  this  bread  that  I  am  glad  to  work  for  it,  so  you  see 
I  cannot  play.'  The  little  girl  then  sat  down  on  a  stone 
and  thought  about  what  they  had  all  told  her.  They  all 
had  to  work.  She  sat  thinking  a  long  time.  Suddenly 
she  got  up  and  ran  home.  She  had  something  to  tell 
her  mother.  Can  you  guess  what  it  was?  This  is  what 
she  said,  'Oh,  mother,  now  I  am  ready  to  learn  to  work.' 
"After  that,  Amy  fed  her  kitty  every  day,  and  she 
never  once  forgot  her  little  bird.  She  gave  it  seeds  and 
fruit  and  bread  and  water  every  morning  before  she  went 
out  to  play." 


Discussion  of  Fourth  Lesson 

The  story,  thus  adapted  and  made  to  summarize 
previous  work,  is  a  convenient  form  of  lesson  when  closing 
a  subject.  Pupils  enjoy  a  story  presented  in  this  way, 
for  they  feel  they  have  a  part  in  telling  it. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  all  words  in  italics  are  given  by 
pupils  and  not  by  the  teacher.     See  note  in  the  first  Model  Lesson. 

Here  a  word  of  warning  is  necessary.  Teachers,  once 
familiar  with  this  form  of  reading  based  upon  story-telling, 
are  apt  to  devote  too  much  of  their  reading  time  to  it. 
They  should  remember  that,  while  this  is  excellent  in  its 
place,  much  of  the  first-grade  reading  material  should  be 
based  upon  the  child's  actual  observation,  investigation, 
reflection,  and  oral  expression. 

Teachers  can  easily  find  and  adapt  or  invent  all  the 
stories  they  need  for  such  purposes.  See  the  list  of  story- 
books given  in  Message  Five. 


To  Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  21 

Fifth  Lesson 
our  APPLES 

"Children,  I  found  something  good  to  eat  this  morning 
and  brought  some  for  you.  I  brought  three.  Can  you 
guess  what?  One  is  red,  one  is  yellow,  and  one  is  green." 
(Writes  "red,"  "yellow,"  and  "green"  as  she  speaks 
the  words.)  Some  child  answers,  "You  brought  some 
candy."  The  teacher  replies,  "No,  not  candy.  If  you 
ever  have  any  green"  (does  not  pronounce  "green,"  but 
points,  and  pauses  while  pupils  pronounce)  "candy,  do 
not  eat  it  until  you  ask  your  mother  about  it.  What 
besides  candy  might  be  red  or  yellow  or  green  t  Yes,  an 
apple."  (Writes  the  word  "apple.")  "I  have  three 
apples  here  in  this  paper  bag."  (Shows  a  paper  bag.) 
"Who  would  like  to  find  the  red  applet"  (Does  not 
pronounce  any  word  in  italics,  but  pauses  while  pupils 
pronounce.)  In  the  same  manner  the  teacher  has  pupils 
find  the  yellow  apple  and  the  green  apple.  She  next  has 
a  child  pick  up  each  apple  as  she  points  to  the  word  that 
tells  its  color,  thus  matching  object  and  symbol. 

Then  the  teacher  gives  a  variety  of  dictation  exercises 
as  follows:  "Put  the  red  apple  on  the  table.  Put  the 
green  apple  on  the  chair.  Bring  me  the  yellow  apple. 
Who  can  put  the  green  apple  on  the  window  sill,  then 
put  the  red  apple  on  one  side  of  it  and  the  yellow  apple 
on  the  other  side?" 

Next,  pupils  examine  the  apples  to  see  if  each  has  a 
stem,  and  if  so,  whether  short  or  long,  the  teacher  writing 
these  words  and  shaping  conversation  so  as  to  have 
occasion  to  point  to  them  and  pause  while  pupils  pro- 
nounce. 

Miss  Gray  next  says,  "Children,  if  I  should  cut  this 


22  Five   Messages 

red  apple  in  two,  what  do  you  think  I  should  find  ?"  Pupils 
answer,  "The  seeds  and  the  core  and  the  white  part," 
and  the  teacher  writes  "seeds"  and  "core"  and  "pulp." 
Miss  Gray  then  cuts  the  apple  in  two,  having  pupils 
touch  and  name  the  parts  found.  Next  she  has  them 
find  the  words  representing  these  parts. 

Before  sending  pupils  to  their  seats,  the  teacher  tells 
them  that  she  will  leave  this  apple  on  the  table,  expecting 
them  to  find  out  at  noon  which  way  the  apple  seeds  point, 
whether  toward  or  away  from  the  stem,  and  to  be  ready 
to  tell  her  to-morrow. 

Discussion  of  Fifth  Lesson 

This  lesson  takes  up  a  new  thought,  not  continuing 
the  subject,  "The  Care  of  Pets,"  which  unifies  the  four 
preceding  lessons.  The  same  general  method  is  here 
indicated,  however.  The  point  special  to  this  lesson  is 
the  observation  of  actual  objects  in  class. 

Many  teachers  prefer  this  type  at  the  very  beginning 
rather  than  that  represented  by  Lesson  I,  where  pupils 
report  what  they  already  know.  It  depends  largely 
upon  pupils  and  teacher  as  to  which  is  the  better  at  the 
start.  Both  types  should  be  used  after  a  very  short 
time. 


SURVEY  AT  CLOSE  OF  SERIES  I 

A  summary  of  the  reading  situation  up  to  date 

The  five  lessons  presented  constitute  Series  I.  They 
have  been  given  to  illustrate  the  use  of  the  word,  written 
incidentally,  as  the  earliest  stage  in  reading. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  23 

How  Long  to  Use  Words  Incidentally 

Perhaps  some  one  now  wishes  to  ask  how  long  a  teacher 
should  continue  writing  words  on  the  board  during  con- 
versations with  her  pupils.  This  work  should  continue 
during  the  whole  year,  but  should  not  be  used  as  an 
exclusive  exercise  in  reading  lessons  more  than  two  or 
three  weeks.  By  the  close  of  the  first  month  of  school 
average  pupils  should  begin  to  have  some  power  to  read 
short  sentences  from  the  board.  It  is  the  object  of  Series 
II  to  illustrate  how  this  power  may  be  developed. 


Points  Made  in  Series  I 

Attention  is  here  invited  to  the  following  points  in 
Series  I: 

1.  Miss  Gray  has  had  pupils  observe  objects  in  class 
and  has  also  requested  them  to  observe  their  pets  at  home 
and  report  to  the  class,  thus  recognizing  the  importance 
to  pupils  of  first-hand  experiences. 

2.  She  has  selected  familiar  subjects,  has  encouraged 
freedom  and  participation,  and  therefore  has  been  able 
to  depend  upon  pupils  taking  part  in  all  conversations. 
In  other  words,  she  has  made  the  oral  language  of  pupils 
the  foundation  for  their  future  reading. 

3.  She  has  questioned  pupils,  and  has  made  the  lessons 
represent  their  knowledge,  not  her  own. 

4.  She  has  not  "dragged  in"  words;  all  that  she  has 
employed  have  been  needed  in  the  development  of  her 
thought.  She  has  selected  from  the  conversations  and 
placed  upon  the  board  those  words  which  in  future  her 
class  will  need  to  use  commonly  in  connection  with  the 
subjects  outlined. 


24  Five  Messages 

Her  notebook  for  words  now  contains,  among  other 
words,  the  following:  pet,  kitty,  eat,  milk,  bread,  meat, 
dog,  bird,  seeds,  fruit,  water,  care,  bed,  food,  girl,  play, 
mother,  work,  red,  yellow,  green,  apple,  stem.  Most  of 
these  words  are  already  familiar  to  her  pupils,  having 
been  impressed  upon  their  memory  in  accordance  with 
suggestions  in  Message  Three. 

5.  She  has  improved  several  little  opportunities  for 
impressing  moral  points  (kindness  to  animals)  without 
"preaching." 

6.  She  has  had  a  real  point  to  each  lesson,  as  is  seen 
in  the  fact  that  she  has  been  able  to  give  each  a  title. 

In  order  to  avoid  all  confusion  between  reading  and  word  study 
it  is  thought  best  to  place  all  suggestions  and  discussions  concerning 
the  latter  subject  in  a  separate  chapter. 


SERIES  II  OF  MODEL  LESSONS 

Illustrating  how  the  first  sentences  for  reading  may 
be  developed  and  taught 

By  referring  to  Miss  Gray's  October  notebook  one  may 
find  the  following  outline  on  birds  which  affords  a  part 
of  the  subject  matter  for  this  series: 

1.  Let  pupils  observe  neighborhood  birds  and  report 
to  class: 

Songs  How  they  move 

Color  How  they  fly 

Size  Where  they  stay 

When  they  sing  What  they  eat 

2.  Take  up  special  study  of  the  robin.  (See  outline 
in  Message  Five,  pp.  189-190.) 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  25 

First  Lesson:    The  Clause  as  Stepping-stone  from 
Word  to  Sentence 

reporting  observations  on  birds 

"Children,  you  remember  that  you  promised  me  to 
watch  the  birds  and  tell  me  about  them.  What  did  you 
promise  to  tell?  Yes."  (Teacher  writes  each  clause  after 
the  children  give  it) : 

When  they  sing  What  they  eat 

Where  they  stay  How  they  fly 

11  Who  has  found  out  about  this?"  (Points  to  the  clause 
that  says  "When  they  sing.")  Pupils  now  give  their 
reports. 

In  the  manner  just  described  Miss  Gray  takes  up  as 
many  of  these  clauses  as  she  thinks  best,  conducting  the 
work  so  as  to  have  the  reports  direct,  not  allowing  pupils 
to  wander  far  from  the  subject  nor  to  waste  time  in  useless 
elaboration.  Nevertheless,  she  directs  the  conversation 
so  as  to  have  frequent  occasion  to  refer  to  these  clauses, 
not  reading  them  herself  after  the  first  time,  but  pointing 
to  them  and  asking  pupils  to  read.  Sometimes  she  calls 
upon  the  class  and  sometimes  upon  individuals. 

She  closes  the  lesson  by  requesting  them  again  to 
"watch  the  birds  "  and  to  read  once  more  the  things  they 
are  to  watch  for: 

When  they  sing  What  they  eat 

Where  they  stay  How  they  fly 

It  might  be  added  that  Miss  Gray  continues  to  write, 
as  in  Series  I,  any  words  brought  out  in  conversational 
lessons  which  she  thinks  appropriate  to  add  to  the  list 
of  words  in  her  vocabulary  notebook. 


26  Five  Messages 

Discussion  of  First  Lesson 

Here  the  written  clause  is  employed  in  the  same  manner 
as  was  the  written  word  in  Series  I.  Pupils  do  not  find 
it  any  more  difficult  than  they  found  the  word,  since  its 
oral  context  suggests  its  meaning  and,  therefore,  its 
expression.  Miss  Gray  says  nothing  about  "expression" 
of  course,  but  insists  upon  pupils  reading  each  clause 
as  if  they  were  talking  it.  She  does  not  point  to  the 
separate  words,  fearing  that  the  very  movement  of  her 
pointer  may  suggest  jerky  reading.  With  one  even  stroke 
she  draws  the  pointer  along  under  the  whole  clause  as 
the  class  or  pupil  reads  it. 

It  will  be  seen  that,  as  here  employed,  the  reading  of 
the  clause  represents  a  step  between  the  reading  of  the 
word  and  the  reading  of  the  sentence.  The  clause  is 
here  an  integral  part  of  the  conversation,  as  was  the  word 
in  Series  I. 

Frequently  subjects  develop  in  such  manner  as  to 
call  for  the  use  of  the  phrase  instead  of  the  clause,  or  for 
both  phrase  and  clause,  as  intermediate  steps  between 
the  use  of  the  word  and  that  of  the  sentence. 

Second  Lesson:  The  First  Sentences 
when  birds  sing 

"Children,  you  said  you  would  try  to  find  out  more 
about  when  birds  sing."  (Miss  Gray  writes  the  clause 
and  waits  for  pupils  to  read  aloud.)     "  Have  you  done  so? 

"First,  when  might  they  sing?  Name  the  different 
parts  of  the  day.  Yes,  'morning,'  'noon,'  'evening.'" 
(The  teacher  writes  each  as  she  speaks  it  after  the  pupils.) 

"Let  me  ask  you  some  questions.  Do  they  sing  in 
the   morning?"     (Writes    "in   the   morning"   and   asks 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  27 

pupils  to  decipher  the  phrase.)  "Yes.  Do  they  sing 
in  the  evening?"  (Pupils  decipher  "in  the  evening.") 
"Yes." 

In  this  way  the  thoughts  to  be  developed  later  in  the 
lesson  in  sentence  form  are  first  developed  in  phrase  form. 
"Now,  children,  let  us  write  about  this  on  the  board. 
What  shall  we  say  first?"  After  attempts  from  several 
pupils,  modified  by  suggestions  from  the  teacher,  some 
child  says,  "Birds  sing  in  the  morning,"  and  Miss  Gray 
writes  it.  Then  by  similar  questions  and  suggestions  she 
calls  from  the  pupils  the  following  sentences,  which  she 
writes  under  the  first: 

They  sing  at  noon. 
They  sing  in  the  evening. 
They  sing  all  day. 

The  teacher  next  proceeds  to  test  them  as  follows: 
"Who  can  find  the  sentence  that  says  'They  sing  in  the 
evening?'  The  one  that  says,  'They  sing  at  noon?' 
The  one  that  says,  '  Birds  sing  in  the  morning? '  The  one 
that  says,  'They  sing  all  day?'" 

Before  dismissing  the  class  the  teacher  spends  some 
little  time  on  this  exercise,  having  each  pupil  find  and  read 
one  of  these  sentences.  With  one  even  stroke  the  child 
draws  the  pointer  along  under  his  sentence  as  he  reads  it. 

Discussion  of  Second  Lesson 

Although  several  actual  lessons  have  intervened  between 
this  and  the  first  of  this  Model  Series  in  which  one  or  two 
sentences  were  used  in  addition  to  words,  phrases,  or 
clauses,  the  above  lesson  represents  thejfirst  attempt  at 
rounding  out  a  thought  sufficiently  to  produce  what  may 
be  called  a  reading  lessor/  This  lesson  represents  some 
little  effort  on  the  part  both  of  pupils  and  teacher.     Miss 


/ 


28  Five  Messages 

Gray  continued  to  question  until  she  called  forth  related, 
well-worded  answers,  not  writing  down  every  answer 
given  her. 

We,  therefore,  have  here  a  few  short  sentences  repre- 
senting a  unit  of  thought,  not  an  indefinite  number  of 
sentences  involving  tiresome  repetitions  which  obscure 
the  point  of  the  lesson.  Miss  Gray  does  not  believe  that 
words  should  be  repeated  again  and  again  in  meaningless 
sentences  merely  for  the  purpose  of  giving  pupils  practice 
in  recognizing  and  pronouncing  them.  She  believes 
that  each  word  which  is  repeated  should  add  something 
to  the  thought  of  the  lesson.  In  this  connection  it 
should  be  noted  that  this  lesson  affords  a  special  oppor- 
tunity for  impressing  the  words  "they"  and  "sing,"  because 
their  repetition  is  necessary  to  the  thought.  It  is  a  very 
convenient  fact  that  the  most  effective  review  of  words 
is  thus  found  in  lessons  which  have  a  central  thought 
naturally  and  logically  worked  out. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  this  lesson  represents  the  expres- 
sion of  actual  experience  on  the  part  of  the  pupils,  since 
they  were  asked  to  tell  what  they  had  found  out  by  watch- 
ing the  birds.  Subject  matter  which  represents  experience 
affords  some  of  the  best  reading  material  for  beginners. 
Not  only  does  it  give  opportunity  for  reading,  but  it 
necessitates  oral  language  work,  which  is  very  important 
at  this  point. 

Before  pupils  can  learn  to  read  they  must  learn  to  talk. 
In  doing  this  they  must  be  guided  by  the  teacher  through 
questions  and  suggestions  as  described.  This  point 
cannot  be  emphasized  too  strongly.  In  fact,  these  early 
lessons  may  be  designated  either  as  "language-reading" 
lessons  or  "reading-language"  lessons. 

It  will  be  noted  that  the  pupils'  part  is  performed 
principally  in  giving  the  sentences  orally.     The  teacher 


To    Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  2Q 

does  not  expect  them  to  have  power,  at  this  point,  to  read 
their  sentences  after  they  are  on  the  board.  She  therefore 
reads  them  aloud  and  asks  pupils  to  find  each  sentence 
after  she  has  read  it,  frequently  finding  it  necessary  to 
assist  them  in  doing  even  this.  She  probably  will  continue 
thus  to  read  for  pupils  for  several  days,  or  until  she  develops 
power  in  the  most  mature  to  make  the  start  for  themselves, 
after  which  others  will  gradually  follow  their  example. 

Teachers  desiring  to  have  their  first  sentences  based 
upon  the  apple  work  reported  in  Series  I,  Fifth  Lesson, 
may,  by  appropriate  questioning,  evolve  such  lessons 
as  the  following: 

We  have  three  apples.  We  cut  the  red  apple  in  two. 

One  is  red.  It  has  a  core. 

One  is  yellow.  It  has  some  seeds. 

And  one  is  green.  It  has  pulp. 


The  apple  seeds  are  brown.  We  tasted  the  red  apple.  j& 

The  pulp  is  white.  It  is  sweet. 

The  seeds  are  in  the  core.  We  tasted  the  green  apple. 

The  core  is  in  the  pulp.  It  is  sour. 

With  these  apple  lessons,  the  same  method  of  devel- 
oping and  writing  sentences,  then  helping  pupils  find  and 
read  them,  should  be  observed  as  in  the  bird  lesson  just 
reported. 

Preliminary  to  the  use  of  sentences,  such  written  phrases 
as,  "a  red  apple,"  "the  green  apple,"  "in  the  core,"  and 
"the  apple  seeds"  should  be  employed  along  with  con- 
versation so  shaped  as  to  give  opportunity  for  using  them. 

The  discussion  of  the  lesson,  "When  Birds  Sing," 
applies  equally  to  these  apple  lessons,  the  point  of  each 
being  the  development  of  the  first  sentences. 


*•*• 


30  Five  Messages 

Too  much  emphasis  cannot  be  placed  upon  the  fact  that  the 
time  element  is  very  important  in  all  board  lessons.  The  con- 
versational part  should  be  developed  largely  in  the  morning  opening 
exercises,  or  in  oral  language  lessons,  thereby  saving  all  possible 
time  for  actual  reading. 


Third  Lesson:   Incidental  Use  of  the  Written 

Sentence 

the  little  girl  and  the  little  bird 

Once  a  little  girl  met  a  little  bird  and  said  '*  Where  do 
you  stay?"  (Miss  Gray  writes  each  sentence  of  this 
lesson,  and  pauses  to  see  if  pupils  can  give  it.  If  not, 
she  gives  it  herself.)  The  little  bird  answered,  "You 
can  tell  that."  The  little  girl  said,  "How  can  I  tell?" 
Then  the  little  bird  answered,  "You  have  two  eyes. 
Watch  me."  The  little  girl  said,  "Thank  you,  little 
bird,  I  shall  watch  you." 

At  the  close  of  the  story  the  board  contains  the  following 
sentences : 

Where  do  you  stay?         Watch  me. 

You  can  tell  that.  Thank  you,  little  bird. 

How  can  I  tell?  I  shall  watch  you. 

Miss  Gray  now  says,  "Do  you  remember  this  story 
well  enough  to  help  me  tell  it  again?"  She  starts  it 
herself,  and  supplies  the  necessary  setting  and  elaborations. 
At  the  exact  place  where  each  sentence  fits  in,  she  points 
to  it  and  pauses  while  the  members  of  the  class  read  it. 
If  they  cannot  do  so  she  reads  for  them.  She  will  re- 
view this  story  from  time  to  time  in  the  future,  until 
pupils  can  read  the  appropriate  sentence  in  each  case 
when  she  pauses. 


To    Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  31 

Discussion  of  Third  Lesson 

Two  or  three  shorter  attempts  at  story-telling,  employ- 
ing only  one  or  two  sentences,  have  preceded  this.  The 
longer  attempt  better  illustrates  the  point  and  is,  therefore, 
given  here.  > 

Teachers  can  easily  adapt  stories  so  as  to  bring  in  short 
sentences  which  serve  as  an  excellent  introduction  to  the 
more  sustained  efforts  which  come  a  little  later,  at  the 
same  time  seeing  to  it  that  each  story  so  employed  has  a 
real  point. 

At  this  point  another  word  of  warning  should  be  sounded 
with  reference  to  the  overuse  of  stories  as  a  basis  for 
first-grade  reading.  Teachers  should  not  yield  to  the 
temptation  of  giving  undue  time  to  this  form  of  work 
because  it  is  fascinating.  They  should  use  it  to  serve 
their  purpose  and  then  pass  on,  remembering  that  it 
represents  only  one  type  of  board-reading  lessons.  It 
may  be  added,  however,  that  such  use  of  the  board  as 
that  here  indicated  may  profitably  accompany  the  telling 
of  stories  throughout  the  year  in  morning  exercises  and 
in  the  regular  story-telling  period. 

This  lesson  looks  more  difficult  than  any  previous 
lesson  because  of  what  must  be  read  between  the  lines. 
Nevertheless,  the  mastery  of  each  sentence  is  made  com- 
paratively easy  because  of  its  setting  in  the  story,  and 
because  the  teacher  gave  it  orally  (if  pupils  could  not  do 
so)  when  first  she  wrote  it  upon  the  board.  Of  course 
elaborations,  questions,  and  suggestions  by  the  teacher 
are  here  very  necessary  to  successful  reading  on  the  part 
of  pupils. 

Many  board  lessons  can  thus  be  worked  out  orally 
which  would  not  be  successful  as  book  lessons  because 
they  would  lack  the  proper  setting. 


32  Five  Messages 

It  must  be  remembered  that  helping  the  teacher 
reproduce  this  story  after  she  has  once  told  it  is  a  very 
different  thing  from  reading  it  without  the  preliminary 
development,  and  does  not  require  anything  like  the  same 
degree  of  power  on  the  part  of  the  pupils. 

It  will  be  noted  that  we  here  have  the  conversational 
style,  a  style  which  lends  itself  well  to  the  development  of 
expression.  Recognizing  as  she  does  the  value  of  good 
expression,  Miss  Gray  insists  upon  it  from  the  very  first. 
Therefore  she  does  not  accept  the  work  and  leave  these 
sentences  as  soon  as  her  pupils  can  decipher  the  words, 
but  she  talks  with  them  about  how  the  little  girl  and  the 
bird  must  have  felt,  and  endeavors  to  make  them  under- 
stand that  they  do  not  truly  read  until  they  succeed  in 
saying  these  things  as  the  little  girl  and  the  bird  must 
have  said  them. 

In  fact,  the  whole  point  of  this  lesson  is  expression. 
The  reason  for  here  illustrating  the  incidental  use  of  the 
written  sentence  is  to  bring  out  the  fact  that,  at  this 
stage,  it  is  vastly  more  important  that  the  child  develop 
fluency  and  naturalness  in  reading  than  that  he  gain 
power  to  recognize  and  pronounce  every  word  in  every 
lesson.  He  can  easily  be  taught  word  pronunciation 
later,  but  if  allowed  to  read  with  poor  expression  at  first, 
it  is  with  the  utmost  difficulty  that  he  can  later  be  given 
the  ideal  of  good  expression. 

Fourth  Lesson:    The  Letter  as  One  Type  of 
Board-reading  Lessons 

OUR   WALK 

"Children,  let  us  write  Mary  and  James  about  our 
walk.  You  know,  they  had  moved  to  the  other  school 
when  we  took  it.     I  will  begin  the  letter   by   writing 


To    Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  jj 

'Dear  Children,'  and  then  you  may  tell  me  what  else  to 
say." 

By  means  of  questions  similar  to  those  employed 
above  in  the  second  lesson,  the  following  sentences  are 
given  by  pupils  and  written  on  the  board  by  the  teacher: 

We  took  a  walk.  We  saw  it  fly. 

We  looked  for  birds.  We  saw  it  eat. 

We  saw  a  robin.  We  heard  it  sing. 

"How  shall  we  close  this  letter?  This  would  be  a 
good  way."  (Writes  and  reads,  "Your  little  friends  in 
the  B  Class.") 

"Now  let  us  look  at  our  letter.  We  must  see  that 
it  is  just  right  before  we  send  it." 

Dear  Children: 

We  took  a  walk. 
We  looked  for  birds. 
We  saw  a  robin. 
We  saw  it  fly. 
We  saw  it  eat. 
We  heard  it  sing. 

Your  little  friends  in  the  B  Class. 

"It  will  never  do  for  us  to  send  this  letter  until  we  can 
read  it  ourselves.  This  is  the  only  way  we  can  be  sure 
that  it  says  what  we  want  it  to  say. 

"We  took  what?"  (Underlines  "walk,"  and  pauses 
for  pupils  to  pronounce.)  "We  looked  for  what?" 
(Underlines  "birds,"  and  pauses  for  pupils  to  pronounce.) 
"We  saw  what?"  (Underlines  "a  robin,"  and  pauses 
for  pupils  to  pronounce.)  "Who  took  the  walk?" 
(Underlines  "We"  and  pauses  for  pupils  to  pronounce.) 

3 


34  Five  Messages 

How  did  we  know  about  the  robin?"  (Underlines 
saw,"  and  pauses  for  pupils  to  say,  "We  saw  it.") 
How  do  we  know  that  it  could  fly?"  (Underlines 
saw,"  and  pauses  for  pupils  to  say,  "We  saw  it.") 
How  do  we  know  that  it  could  eat?"  (Underlines 
saw,"  and  pauses  for  pupils  to  say,  "We  saw  it.")  "  How 
do  we  know  that  it  could  sing?"  (Underlines  "heard," 
and  pauses  for  pupils  to  say,  "  We  heard  it.") 

After  this  preliminary  questioning,  to  emphasize  both 
words  and  thoughts,  Miss  Gray  has  the  class  read,  sentence 
by  sentence,  in  response  to  her  questions.  For  example, 
she  says,  "What  did  we  do,  Roy?"  and  Roy  reads, 
"We  took  a  walk." 

After  each  sentence  has  thus  been  studied  and  read 
the  teacher  has  the  class  attempt  the  whole  lesson,  different 
pupils  reading  different  sentences.  No  child  is  quite 
able,  as  yet,  to  begin  with  the  first  sentence  and  read  them 
all.  Miss  Gray,  therefore,  dismisses  the  class,  telling 
them  that  if  some  one  can  read  the  whole  lesson  to-morrow 
she  will  copy  it  upon  paper  as  he  reads  it  to  her,  then 
put  it  into  an  envelope  and  address  it  to  Mary  and  James. 


Discussion  of  Fourth  Lesson 

This  lesson  is  like  the  second  in  that  it  represents  the 
expression  of  pupils  written  on  the  board  by  the  teacher. 
It  differs  from  it  in  that  it  is  put  in  the  first  person  while 
the  preceding  is  put  in  the  third. 

Miss  Gray  thus  puts  some  lessons  into  first  person  and 
some  into  third  for  the  sake  of  variety,  both  as  to  men- 
tal attitude  on  the  part  of  pupils  and  as  to  the  form  of 
the  lesson. 

The  first  person  lends  itself  especially  well  to  the  oral 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  35 

expression  of  pupils.  Moreover,  it  seems  the  natural 
form  for  the  letter,  a  type  of  lesson  which  has  great  attrac- 
tion for  the  children.  They  get  the  best  kind  of  drill  on 
words  and  sentences  through  self-imposed  review  in  order 
to  have  their  letters  just  right  before  sending  them,  and 
in  order  to  read  them  to  the  teacher  that  she  may  copy 
them  on  paper  preparatory  to  sending. 

It  will  be  noted  that  the  class  was  not  dismissed  as  soon 
as  the  sentences  were  all  on  the  board,  because  an  impor- 
tant part  was  yet  to  follow.  The  teacher  kept  them, 
helped  them  study,  and  prepared  them  to  read  the  lesson. 
Each  sentence  was  worked  over  until  the  words  were 
thoroughly  familiar  to  all  and  could  be  read  with  fairly 
natural  expression.  When  a  pupil  hesitated  in  the  midst 
of  a  sentence  he  was  interrupted,  helped  further  in  his 
study,  and  then  called  upon  to  read  the  sentence  again. 
The  idea  was  impressed  upon  him  that  he  must  thus 
study  each  sentence  so  as  to  read  it  off  easily  when  he  did 
read  it.  In  this  way  Miss  Gray  continues  to  impress 
correct  habits  of  expression  already  begun  in  the  early 
lessons.  It  does  not  trouble  her  that  her  pupils  cannot  yet 
read  the  different  sentences  in  close  succession,  and  that 
they  have  to  stop  and  study  each  before  reading  it,  be- 
cause they  are  beginning  to  read  each  sentence  by  itself 
with  good  expression.  This  she  knows  is  the  first  step, 
and  therefore  the  one  which  principally  concerns  her  at 
this  point.  She  is  thoroughly  familiar  with  and  will 
practice  every  phase  of  the  development  of  expression 
as  given  on  pp.  53-55  in  Message  Two. 

A  series  of  letters,  on  some  subject  studied  in  school, 
written  to  the  city  or  county  superintendent,  represents 
interesting  work  for  pupils.  Such  a  series  written  to  the 
parents  to  be  taken  home  by  one  child  after  another 
also  represents  profitable  and  pleasant  work. 


3<5  Five  Messages 

Fifth  Lesson:  Description  as  One  Type  of  Board- 
reading  Lessons 

our  sunflower 

"Children,  we  have  talked  about  this  sunflower.  Now 
let  us  tell  about  it  on  the  board.  I  will  do  the  writing  if 
you  will  tell  me  what  to  say. 

"First,  is  this  sunflower  little  or  big?  Yes,  it  is  big. 
Who  will  tell  that  in  a  good  sentence,  beginning  with  the 
words,  'This  sunflower'?"  Some  child  says,  "This  sun- 
flower is  big,"  and  the  teacher  writes  the  sentence. 
"Next,  let  us  tell  about  the  shape."  Some  child  says, 
"It  is  round,"  and  the  teacher  writes  this  sentence  under 
the  first. 

"Who  can  tell  what  color  the  flower  is?"  The  children 
find  the  yellow  leaves,  and  the  teacher  suggests  the 
name  "fringe." 

"Who  will  give  a  sentence  that  tells  the  color  of  this 
fringe  ? ' '  Some  child  says,  "  It  is  yellow, ' '  and  the  teacher 
replies,  "What  is  yellow?"  The  child  then  gives  the 
sentence,  "The  fringe  is  yellow."  In  order  to  call  forth 
a  slightly  different  sentence,  the  teacher  questions  as 
follows:  "Who  can  tell  this,  beginning  the  sentence  with 
the  words, '  The  sunflower  has'  ?"  Some  child  now  answers, 
"The  sunflower  has  a  yellow  fringe,"  and  the  teacher 
writes  the  sentence  under  the  other  two. 

"What  color  of  seeds  has  the  sunflower?"  A  child 
answers,  "It  has  brown  seeds,"  and  the  teacher  writes 
the  sentence. 

By  this  method  the  following  lesson  is  evolved: 

This  sunflower  is  big.  It  has  a  green  stem. 

It  is  round.  And  it  has  green  leaves. 

It  has  a  yellow  fringe.  This  sunflower  is  pretty. 

It  has  brown  seeds.  We  like  to  look  at  it. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  37 

The  teacher  next  helps  pupils  to  study  and  read  these 
sentences  in  a  manner  similar  to  that  just  described  above 
in  the  fourth  lesson. 

One  child  makes  the  article  "a"  too  prominent  in  reading 
the  third  sentence.  Miss  Gray  has  him  read  the  whole 
phrase,  "a  yellow  fringe,"  in  such  a  manner  as  not  to  give 
"a"  undue  prominence. 

Another  child  fails  properly  to  emphasize  the  word 
"seeds"  in  the  fourth  sentence.  Miss  Gray  says,  "Did 
you  say  the  sunflower  has  brown  leaves?"  The  child 
reads  again,  saying,  "The  sunflower  has  brown  seeds." 

The  class  shows  growing  power  both  as  to  recognition 
of  words  and  as  to  matters  of  fluency  and  expression. 
While  pupils  thus  need  help  both  in  studying  and  in 
reading  this  lesson,  they  show  growing  power  both  as 
to  recognition  of  words  and  as  to  matters  of  fluency  and 
expression. 

Discussion  op  Fifth  Lesson 

This  lesson  illustrates  the  description  of  an  object 
observed  in  class.  This  type  is  interesting  to  pupils 
because  it  involves  observation  on  their  part,  an  exercise 
which  they  are  certain  to  enjoy  if  properly  conducted. 

There  are  many  objects  which  pupils  can  profitably 
observe  in  class,  among  which  are  different  kinds  of 
flowers,  seeds,  leaves,  fruits,  vegetables,  and  pictures. 

A  description  of  actual  objects  observed  in  class  is  one 
of  the  three  types  of  board  lessons  most  profitable  for 
pupils  after  they  have  gained  power  thus  to  evolve  and 
read  sentences. 

The  lesson  preceding  this,  the  fourth,  illustrates  another 
of  these  types  —  the  report  of  experiences  by  pupils  — 
and  may  be  called  the  letter  type. 

4  7  9  9  i 


j5  Five  Messages 

The  third  one  of  these  types  consists  of  the  description 
of  the  pictures  in  the  first  Primer  which  a  class  is  to  read. 

In  the  next  word-study  exercise  Miss  Gray  will  drill 
upon  all  words,  brought  out  in  this  lesson,  which  she 
wishes  to  make  a  part  of  the  reading  vocabulary  of  her 
class. 

It  will  be  seen  that  Miss  Gray  continues  to  give  special 
heed  to  the  matter  of  expression,  having  pupils  read  all 
phrases  as  units  instead  of  as  so  many  separate  words. 
Then,  too,  she  questions  pupils  to  bring  out  expression, 
as  in  the  case  of  the  word  "seeds"  in  the  fourth  sentence 
of  this  lesson.  She  avoids  the  use  of  mechanical  devices 
for  expression,  never  saying,  for  example,  "Say  the  word 
'seeds'  louder." 

Because  Miss  Gray  now  feels  that  by  the  close  of  the 
eighth  week  of  school  her  pupils  will  be  able  to  evolve 
and  read  with  expression  board  lessons  of  nine  or  ten  well 
constructed  sentences,  she  is  satisfied  with  the  progress 
they  are  making. 

She  realizes  that  this  is  the  indefinite  and  delicate 
stage,  where  it  is  impossible  exactly  to  measure  progress 
by  visible  or  tangible  units.  She  knows  that  power  to 
read — to  get  and  give  thoughts,  not  mere  words — is  for- 
ever dependent  upon  the  development  of  the  powers  of 
impression  and  expression.  She  knows,  therefore,  that  a 
language  foundation  is  absolutely  necessary  for  true 
reading  on  the  part  of  her  class,  and  counts  the  time 
which  she  has  given  for  the  laying  of  such  foundation  as 
well  spent. 

At  the  close  of  this  model  series  another  word  should 
be  added  concerning  the  importance  of  conducting  board- 
reading  exercises  in  such  a  manner  as  to  save  all  possible 


To    Teachers   of  Primary  Reading  39 

time  for  actual  reading  on  the  part  of  pupils.  In  order 
to  do  this  it  is  necessary  that  a  large  part  of  the  con- 
versations preliminary  to  reading  take  place  during 
opening  exercises  or  during  oral  language  lessons. 


SURVEY  AT  CLOSE  OF  SERIES  II 

A  summing  up  of  the  reading  situation  just  before 
taking  up  the  Primer 

Subjects  Taught  during  Eight  Weeks 

It  is  understood,  of  course,  that  any  teacher  having 
average  pupils  would  develop,  in  the  course  of  eight 
weeks  (the  time  covered  by  the  Model  Lessons)  a  number 
of  subjects  in  addition  to  the  two  touched  upon  in  these 
lessons.  She  should  not  prolong  the  reading  on  any 
one  subject  beyond  its  natural  limit,  and  thus  wear  it 
threadbare.  As  stated  above,  it  is  not  the  idea  to  suggest 
the  work  in  full,  but  simply  to  present  a  sufficient  amount 
of  it  to  illustrate  the  underlying  principles  upon  which 
this  method  is  based.  Teachers  are  expected  to  refer 
constantly  to  the  outlines  in  Message  Five  and  to  work 
out  the  different  subjects  for  themselves  from  suggestions 
found  in  the  Model  Lessons. 

When  Pupils  are  Ready  for  the  Primer 

The  last  lesson  in  Series  II  suggests  the  ability  of  average 
six-year-old  beginners  who  have  attended  school  regularly 
for  eight  weeks.  When  pupils  have  acquired  power  to 
do  with  comparative  ease  such  work  as  is  there  suggested, 
they  are  prepared  for  the  Primer.  Until  they  can  do  this 
they  should  continue  with  board  lessons.     There  is  no 


40  Five  Messages 

time  gained,  in  fact  there  is  positive  loss  of  time,  in  hurry- 
ing pupils  into  books  before  they  are  ready.  If  one's  aim 
in  teaching  reading  were  merely  to  speed  pupils  through 
many  books,  the  best  possible  way  to  accomplish  this 
aim  would  be  to  have  them  thoroughly  ready  for  the  first 
book.  They  would  then  quickly  master  the  second  and 
third. 

The  average  class  of  six-year-old  beginners  requires 
about  six  or  eight  weeks  in  preparation  for  the  Primer,  as 
suggested  above,  while  the  less  mature  pupils  sometimes 
require  twenty  weeks. 

An  Appeal  in  Behalf  of  Immature  Beginners 

Many  first-grade  teachers  find  at  the  close  of  the  first 
two  months  of  school  that  their  pupils  seem  to  have 
accomplished  almost  nothing.  If  they  have  improved 
their  time,  let  not  such  teachers  be  discouraged.  Pupils 
who  are  immature,  either  because  they  are  young,  of 
slow  development,  or  of  foreign  parentage,  cannot  cover 
the  ground  suggested  above  in  the  time  there  designated. 

Let  us  here  make  an  appeal  in  behalf  of  these  "less 
mature"  beginners.  They  are  not  necessarily  "slow" 
pupils,  but  simply  those  pupils  who  need  more  time  than 
do  others  to  awaken.  Teachers  should  go  very  cautiously 
with  them,  advancing  as  they  develop.  Their  work 
should  be  of  a  nature  to  help  them  unfold  and  to  con- 
tribute toward  their  well-rounded  growth.  It  should 
not  consist  of  forced  and  formal  attempts  at  reading. 
Such  reading  as  is  thrust  upon  children  before  their 
observational  and  language  powers  are  developed  is 
formal,  unnatural,  and  unreal.  When  pupils  are  suffi- 
ciently developed  they  soon  acquire  power  to  read,  but 
in  their  undeveloped  state  they  need  training  of  a  more 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  41 

fundamental  nature  than  that  found  in  forced  reading 
lessons.  They  need  help  in  the  general  unfolding  of  their 
natural  powers  through  observation  and  first-hand  expe- 
riences, followed  by  talks,  stories,  songs,  plays  and  games, 
dramatizations,  hand  work,  and  other  possible  forms  of 
expression.  What  reading  they  do  should  be  carefully 
adapted  to  them  and  kept  very  simple. 

An  immature  class  thus  nourished  during  the  first 
half  year,  and  by  this  means  prepared  for  the  more  reg- 
ular work,  often  makes  astonishing  progress  during  the 
last  half  year. 

Objects  of  Messages  One  and  Two 

The  work  as  presented  and  discussed  in  Message  One 
is  representative  of  September  and  October  blackboard 
lessons  for  ordinary  beginners. 

Message  Two  takes  up  the  work  at  the  point  where 
the  Primer  is  given  to  pupils,  and  directs  teachers  as  to 
methods  of  procedure. 


TYPES  OF  LESSONS  OMITTED  FROM 
THIS  SCHEME 

Attention  is  here  called  to  the  fact  that  the  following 
types  of  lessons  have  purposely  been  omitted: 

1.  The    "idiomatic"    type,    illustrated   by   such   sen- 
tences as : 

I  see  a  kitty. 
I  see  a  dog. 
I  see  a  bird. 


42  Five  Messages 

I  have  a  kitty. 
I  have  a  dog. 
I  have  a  bird. 

I  like  a  kitty. 
I  like  a  dog. 
I  like  a  bird. 

Such  lessons  as  those  just  given  have  been  relegated 
to  word  study.  The  idiom,  as  here  used,  serves  merely 
as  a  convenient  hook  upon  which  to  hang  words  for  drill 
purposes,  and  not  as  a  means  of  conveying  thought. 

2.  The  "action"  type,  illustrated  by  such  sentences  as: 

Run  to  the  table. 
Ring  the  bell. 
Wave  the  flag. 
Hop  to  your  seat. 

This  type  has  been  relegated  to  word-study  periods 
or  to  recreational  exercises. 

The  reason  for  omitting  such  lessons  from  regular 
reading  exercises  is  that  they  have  no  connection  with 
other  subjects  of  study. 

3.  The  "phonic"  type,  illustrated  by  such  sentences  as: 

A  fat  cat  sat  on  a  mat. 

Here  the  form  of  the  word,  rather  than  the  meaning, 
is  the  reason  for  its  use. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  phonic  work  is  not  neg- 
lected in  this  scheme,  for  it  is  given  as  a  daily  form  of 
word  study.  It  is  kept  separate  from  the  reading,  how- 
ever, until  such  time  as  pupils  have  enough  phonic  power 
to  assist  them  in  the  recognition  of  new  words.     In 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  43 

whatever  degree  phonics  enters  the  reading  work  before 
pupils  have  such  power,  in  that  same  degree  it  makes  it 
formal.  The  reading  of  such  sentences  as  the  one  given 
above  serves  as  a  profitable  word-study  exercise. 

4.  The  "personification"  type,  illustrated  by  such 
sentences  as: 

I  am  a  flower. 

I  have  many  brothers. 

We  are  afraid  of  Jack  Frost. 

Do  you  think  he  will  get  us? 

The  reason  for  omitting  this  type  is  that  it  confuses 
little  people.  They  can  more  easily  tell  of  their  own 
impressions  and  experiences  than  imagine  the  feelings  and 
thoughts  of  inanimate  objects  and  then  put  them  into 
oral  sentences  for  the  teacher  to  write  on  the  board.  Les- 
sons developed  in  this  way  are  often  far-fetched,  affording 
little  opportunity  for  real  expression  and  consequent 
mental  growth. 

5.  The  "cumulative"  type,  illustrated  by  such  sen- 
tences as: 

The  rabbit  can  run. 

The  rabbit  can  hop. 

The  rabbit  can  run  and  hop. 

The  rabbit  can  jump. 

The  rabbit  can  run  and  jump. 

The  rabbit  can  hop  and  jump. 

The  rabbit  can  run  and  hop  and  jump. 

The  main  point  to  this  type  of  lesson  is  the  opportu- 
nity for  drill  through '  play  upon  words,  because  the 
thought  is  soon  lost  in  endless  and  meaningless  varia- 
tions of  expression.     It  is,  therefore,  omitted. 


MESSAGE  TWO 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  TEACHING  THE  PRIMER  AND  THE 
FIRST  READER 

RAINING  possession  of  the  first  reading  book  is  a 
^"^  great  delight  to  every  normal  child.  Learning  to 
read  it  under  the  guidance  of  a  skillful  teacher  is  a  still 
greater  delight. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  the  character  of  each  individ- 
ual is  influenced  to  such  an  extent  by  his  pleasures,  let 
every  first-grade  teacher  aspire  to  be  "skillful"  to  the 
end  that  she  may  be  instrumental  in  making  permanent 
the  child's  delight  in  good  reading  which  comes  with  the 
first  book. 

I.  PRESENTING  THE  BOOKS 
Introducing  the  Primer 

The  first  step  is  to  introduce  the  Primer  to  pupils  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  help  them  catch  its  spirit  at  once. 
Look  at  the  pictures  on  the  first  few  pages  and  discuss 
them  with  the  class.  Enthuse  them  with  the  thought 
that  it  will  be  a  great  pleasure  to  read  this  book. 

Transition  from  Script  to  Print 

It  should  not  be  a  long  nor  a  difficult  task  for  any 
first-grade  teacher  who  has  followed  the  suggestions  of 
Message  One  to  make  the  change  from  blackboard  to  book 
reading.     She  should  not  attempt  it  until  her  class  is 

44 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  45 

ready;  then  she  should  make  the  transition  easily  and 
quickly.  The  following  suggestions  are  given  for  this 
period: 

1.  Let  pupils  talk  about  the  book  pictures.  Develop 
short  reading  lessons,  bringing  out  the  ideas  in  the  book 
lessons  by  asking  questions  and  writing  on  the  board  the 
answers  given  by  pupils.  See  that  the  important  and 
new  words  of  the  book  lessons  are  brought  into  these 
board  lessons. 

2.  Write  exact  copies  of  book  lessons  on  the  board  and 
help  pupils  to  study  and  read  them. 

3.  Write  the  sentences  of  a  lesson  on  slips  of  paper. 
If  there  are  five  sentences  and  twenty  pupils,  for  exam- 
ple, write  each  sentence  four  times.  Pass  the  slips  to 
pupils,  asking  each  to  find  the  printed  sentence  in  his 
book  that  matches  the  written  sentence,  and  place  his 
slip  under  it.  Have  each  study  the  words  to  see  how 
the  script  and  print  are  alike  and  how  different.  At 
certain  signals,  let  pupils  exchange  slips  and  compare  as 
above  until  each  pupil  has  had  a  copy  of  each  sentence 
of  the  lesson. 

4.  Word-study  and  seat-work  periods  may  be  used  to 
good  advantage  while  making  the  transition  from  script 
to  print.  See  suggestions  to  be  found  in  Messages  Three 
and  Four. 

Such  printing  as  the  teacher  does  on  the  board  should  be  confined 
to  words.     It  is  a  waste  of  time  for  her  to  print  lessons. 


Phases  in  the  Development  of  a  Lesson 

These  phases  may  be  presented  by  means  of  a  concrete 
illustration.  Take,  for  example,  the  following  lesson, 
supposing  it  to  be  in  the  first  Primer  read  by  a  class: 


46  Five  Messages 

This  apple  is  ripe.  The  pulp  is  white. 

The  skin  is  red.  It  is  juicy  and  sweet. 

The  seeds  are  brown.         It  is  good  to  eat. 


INTRODUCING   THE    THOUGHT 

Imagine  a  class  turning  to  this  lesson  for  the  first  time 
and  the  teacher  questioning  somewhat  as  follows: 

"What  do  you  think  this  lesson  is  about?  An  apple." 
(Teacher  writes  the  word.)  "What  kind  of  apple?  Can 
you  tell  by  the  picture?  Here  is  a  word  that  tells." 
(Writes  "ripe.")  "You  can  say  this  word  if  you  think 
of  the  first  sound.  What  do  you  think  this  lesson  tells 
about  this  ripe  apple?  Do  you  think  it  tells  about  the 
parts  of  the  apple?  Name  them.  Yes,  'skin,'  'seeds,' 
1  pulp,'  and  '  stem. ' "  (Teacher  writes  the  words  as  pupils 
give  them.)  "Shall  we  read  the  lesson,  and  find  out 
what  it  does  tell?" 

Some  such  introduction  to  awaken  interest  and  get 
pupils  into  the  proper  spirit,  likewise  to  bring  out  new 
words,  is  necessary  to  every  Primer  lesson  as  well  as  to 
most  of  the  lessons  in  the  First  Reader.  Introductions 
should  vary  according  to  the  nature  of  lessons.  In  each 
case  they  should  give  the  class  a  clew  as  to  what  thought 
to  begin  with.  As  pupils  grow  in  power  the  teacher's 
questions  should  grow  less  suggestive,  thus  developing 
independence  on  the  part  of  pupils. 

At  this  point  the  class  should  be  given  a  drill  upon 
the  words  of  this  lesson  which  have  just  been  developed 
and  written  upon  the  board.  In  order  to  make  sure  that 
all  the  new  words  are  brought  out,  let  the  teacher  consult 
the  word  list  in  the  back  of  the  Primer.  Let  her  then 
employ  any  of  the  word-study  devices  found  on  pp.  68-74 
in  Message  Three. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  47 

STUDYING   BEFORE    READING 

Immediately  after  the  word  study,  or  at  a  later  period, 
imagine  the  teacher  questioning  her  pupils  somewhat  as 
follows : 

"Would  you  like  to  study  this  lesson  a  little  before 
trying  to  read  it?  Let  me  help  you.  The  first  sentence 
begins  with  'This  apple.'  Who  can  finish  it?  Look 
at  the  second  sentence.  Does  any  one  know  what  it  is 
about ?  Here  is  the  word  that  tells."  (Points  to  "skin.") 
"It  says  that  the  skin  is  'red.'"  (Writes  the  word  and 
encourages  pupils  to  decipher  it,  not  to  guess  at  it.) 
"Does  the  first  sound  help  you  to  think  of  the  word? 
Yes,  it  is  'red.'  Look  at  the  third  sentence.  Find  the 
word  that  begins  with  's.'  You  can  see  some  of  these  in 
the  picture.  Who  can  tell  the  word?  Yes,  'seeds.' 
What  color  are  they?  The  word  that  tells  begins  with 
'br.'  Find  it.  Yes,  'brown.'  Look  at  the  fourth  sen- 
tence. What  word  is  the  same  as  some  word  in  the  first 
sentence?  Yes,  'is.'  Find  the  word  that  tells  the  name 
of  a  color.  Where  is  it?  Yes,  it  is  the  last  word.  Who 
can  tell  it  ?  What  is  it  that  is  '  white'  ?  Yes,  the  '  pulp. ' 
Look  at  the  next  to  the  last  sentence.  You  know  the 
last  word  because  we  had  it  this  morning.  Perhaps  you 
do  not  know  this  word"  (underlining  "juicy"),  "so  I'll 
tell  you  what  it  says.  Look  at  the  last  sentence.  What 
do  we  like  to  do  with  a  nice  ripe  apple?  Yes,  'We  like 
to  eat  it.'  Find  'eat.'  We  like  to  eat  it  because  it  is 
what?    Yes,  'good.' 

"Now,  children,  let  us  take  just  a  minute  more  to 
study.  Find  a  word  anywhere  in  the  lesson  that  begins 
with  's.'  Yes,  'seeds.'  Find  another.  'Sweet.'  An- 
other. 'Skin.'  Find  the  word  that  tells  about  the  skin. 
Yes,  'red.'     See  if  you  can  pronounce  words  as  I  point 


48  Five  Messages 

to  them.  Each  one  may  find  and  pronounce  a  word  that 
is  very  easy  to  remember;  one  that  may  be  hard  for 
some  one.  Find  any  word  you  do  not  know  and  tell 
where  it  is."  Some  child  says,  "The  third  word  in  next 
to  the  last  line,"  and  the  teacher  replies,  "That  word 
is  'juicy.'  Let  us  see  if  you  can  tell  the  first  two  words 
of  each  sentence;  the  last  word  of  each  sentence. 

"Now,  children,  do  you  think  you  can  read  the  lesson?" 

The  devices  for  study  just  given  are  much  more  exten- 
sive than  would  be  wise  to  use  with  any  one  lesson.  A 
class  that  needed  all  these  would  not  yet  be  ready  for  the 
book.  These  suggestions  are,  rather,  to  be  drawn  upon 
as  needed  to  stimulate  pupils  to  proper  effort.  The  study 
should  not  occupy  too  large  a  part  of  the  time.  As 
pupils  gain  power  it  should  occupy  less  and  less  of  it. 

It  should  be  noted  in  the  lesson  above  recorded  that 
the  teacher  calls  a  sentence  a  "sentence"  and  not  a 
"story."    A  story  consists  of  several  sentences. 

READING   THE    LESSON 

Imagine  the  same  pupils  about  to  read  the  same  lesson. 
If  they  have  to  struggle  with  it,  they  are  not  ready  for  it 
and  should  not  be  required  to  read  it.  If  they  are  ready, 
imagine  the  teacher  questioning  about  as  follows: 

"What  does  the  first  sentence  tell  about  this  apple, 
Willie?"  Willie  reads.  "What  does  the  next  sentence 
tell  about  the  skin,  Jane?"    Jane  reads. 

In  this  way,  in  the  early  lessons,  a  question  gives  the 
clew  to  each  sentence  the  first  time  through.  Before  the 
class  is  dismissed,  however,  they  should  read  the  lesson 
again  without  clews.  As  pupils  advance,  teachers  should 
gradually  withdraw  such  help,  thus  developing  indepen- 
dent power. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  4Q 

A  cardboard  strip  in  the  hands  of  each  child  is  a  great 
convenience  in  helping  him  to  keep  the  place.  Let  him 
keep  it  just  below  the  sentence  to  be  read  next. 

In  connection  with  the  reading  of  the  lesson  teachers 
should  take  great  care  that  pupils  proceed  according  to 
suggestions  given  in  "Habits  Which  First-grade  Pupils 
Should  Form  in  Reading,"  found  on  p.  51  of  this  chap- 
ter. Unless  teachers  give  special  heed  to  the  formation 
of  these  habits,  they  need  not  expect  to  produce  good 
readers. 

TALKING   OVER   THE    LESSON 

Let  us  imagine  the  teacher  questioning  the  pupils  about 
as  follows : 

"Children,  are  some  of  the  ripe  apples  you  have  been 
studying  lately  like  this  one?  Yes.  Are  they  all  like 
it?#  No,  some  of  them  have  yellow  skins  and  some  of 
tKem  have  green  skins.  What  about  the  color  of  the 
seeds?  They  are  all  brown.  What  about  the  color  of 
the  pulp  in  your  apples?  Some  have  white  pulp  and 
some  have  pink  pulp.  Were  all  of  your  ripe  apples  juicy  ? 
No,  some  of  them  were  dry  and  mealy.  Were  they  all 
sweet?    No,  some  were  sour. 

"You  think,  then,  that  this  apple  in  the  book  is  just 
one  kind  of  ripe  apple,  don't  you?    Yes. " 

Thus  discussing  a  book  lesson  after  reading  it,  and  con- 
necting the  thought  it  contains  with  knowledge  the  class 
has  gained  through  study  of  the  subject  under  consider- 
ation, is  important  even  though  done  briefly,  because  it 
alone  insures  to  pupils  a  grasp  of  the  point  of  the  lesson. 

Readers  whose  lessons  do  not  contain  material  which 
can  in  this  way  be  expanded  and  related  through  supple- 
mentary oral  language  exercises  are  not  suited  to  their 
purpose. 


50  Five  Messages 

Planning  Preparatory  to  Teaching  Lessons 

In  preparing  to  teach  any  particular  lesson,  let  teachers 
proceed  somewhat  as  follows: 

i.  Decide  what  to  say  or  what  questions  to  ask  in 
introducing  the  thought,  in  helping  pupils  study,  in  having 
pupils  read,  in  talking  over  the  lesson  briefly  at  the  close. 
For  suggestions,  see  "Phases  in  the  Development  of  a 
Lesson,"  p.  45. 

Teachers  will  find  that  in  some  of  the  book  lessons 
very  little  is  required  of  them  in  the  way  of  setting,  while 
in  others  it  is  necessary  for  them  to  make  explanation 
before  pupils  begin  to  read,  also  line  by  line  as  they  read. 

2.  Decide  upon  and  prepare  for  the  word  drill  best 
suited  to  the  new  or  difficult  words  of  the  lesson;  also 
write  these  words,  as  well  as  the  phrases  of  the  lesson, 
upon  the  board  for  reference  during  the  reading  period. 

3.  Decide  upon  location  for  class  during  the  reading. 
The  pupils  may  remain  in  their  seats,  with  frequent 
opportunity  to  stand  when  they  know  and  can  read  sen- 
tences; or  with  instructions  to  each  to  skip  quickly  to 
the  front  and  read  as  called  upon,  or  with  ir  ."tractions 
to  a  whole  row  to  pass  to  the  front  and  stand  until  each 
pupil  has  read. 

Instead  of  remaining  in  their  seats,  the  class  may  be 
brought  to  the  front  and  seated  in  little  chairs,  or  on  low 
benches,  so  as  to  face  the  board;  or,  they  may  stand 
facing  the  board. 

By  employing  variety  of  location  for  classes,  teachers 
may  add  interest  to  the  reading.  They  should  make 
changes  so  gradually,  however,  as  always  to  keep  pupils 
feeling  acquainted  with  the  plan. 

4.  Decide  whether  pupils  have  power  to  read  more 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  5/ 

than  one  sentence  of  this  particular  lesson  at  a  time;  if 
so,  whether  each  shall  read  two  or  three. 

5.  Decide  how  pupils  shall  find  the  page.  In  the  early 
stages  teachers  may  save  much  time  by  finding  the  page 
for  each  child  and  strapping  it  down  to  the  outside  cover 
by  means  of  a  rubber  band.  By  the  time  pupils  have 
read  from  books  for  six  or  eight  weeks  they  should  have 
been  taught  to  read  the  number  of  the  page  and  find  it 
quickly,  thus  saving  much  time. 

Habits  Which  First-grade  Pupils  Should  Form 
in  Reading 

If  first-grade  teachers  generally  could  realize  the 
advantages  growing  out  of  a  few  thoroughly  established 
habits  in  reading,  they  would  see  to  the  establishment 
of  these  habits  more  carefully  at  the  very  beginning. 
By  such  means  they  would  increase  the  reading  power 
of  their  pupils  and  decrease  the  necessity  of  effort  on  their 
part  in  developing  independent  readers.  These  habits 
may  be  indicated  as  follows : 

1.  The  proper  use  of  the  voice  as  to  volume,  pitch, 
distinctness,  expression. 

2 .  The  correct  position  of  the  body  when  standing,  when 
holding  the  book. 

No  attempt  is  here  made  to  give  either  an  exhaustive 
or  an  especially  scientific  classification  of  points,  but 
merely  to  present  a  brief  outline  for  a  few  suggestions 
which,  if  followed  in  the  first  grade,  will  bring  practical 
results. 

VOLUME 

Pupils  should  use  enough  voice  to  enable  all  in  the 
class  to  hear  them  easily.  Very  few  pupils  who  are  not 
trained  to  this  do  so.     The  longer  they  are  allowed  to 


52  Five-  M e s s a ge s 

read  in  subdued  voices  the  more  difficult  it  is  to  establish 
the  correct  habit.  Having  pupils  read  from  some  point 
in  the  room  at  a  distance  from  the  class  helps  them  in 
developing  volume.  On  the  other  hand,  teachers  must 
guard  against  the  development  of  the  loud  and  harsh 
voices  which  often  result  from  efforts  to  secure  proper 
volume. 

PITCH 

Almost  every  first-grade  reading  class  has  one  or  more 
pupils  who  have  a  tendency  to  read  in  a  high  key  and  a 
strained  voice.  This  tendency  is  usually  the  result  of 
effort  or  of  nervousness  on  the  part  of  pupils.  It  can 
easily  be  overcome  if  taken  at  first,  when  only  a  "ten- 
dency," but  can  be  eradicated  only  with  great  difficulty 
when  once  it  has  grown  into  a  habit. 

When  a  pupil  begins  to  read  in  a  high,  unnatural  voice 
ask  him  questions  that  will  call  forth  natural  answers. 
Then  call  attention  to  the  two  voices  he  uses  and  ask 
him  to  read  in  his  "talking  voice." 

DISTINCTNESS 

Pupils  may  read  indistinctly  for  any  one  of  several 
reasons.  They  may  guess  at  words,  and  thus  not  wish 
to  be  heard  plainly;  or  they  may  sound  only  part  of 
the  letters  of  words;  or  they  may  be  lethargic  and  not 
accustomed  to  put  forth  the  effort  necessary  to  cause 
the  vocal  organs  to  produce  words  distinctly.  What- 
ever may  be  the  reason  for  indistinctness  it  must  be 
cured.  The  "  word  ball  game  "  suggested  in  the  chapter 
on  word  study  is  a  valuable  help  in  this  work.  Having 
pupils  read  from  a  point  distant  from  the  class  develops 
distinctness  as  well  as  volume. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  53 

EXPRESSION 

The  development  of  expression  is  less  a  mechanical 
and  more  a  thought  process  than  is  that  of  volume, 
pitch,  or  distinctness.  It  need  not  be  a  difficult  thing, 
however,  the  whole  point  being  one  of  naturalness.  See 
that  children  grasp  the  meaning  of  a  sentence,  then 
question  them  until  they  express  it  in  reading.  For  ex- 
ample, suppose  a  child  reads  the  sentence,  "This  is 
Ben's  dog,"  with  no  expression.  Question  him  as  fol- 
lows: "Did  you  say,  'This  is  John's  dog'?"  Answer: 
"No.  This  is  Ben's  dog."  Or,  "Did  you  say,  'This 
is  Ben's  kitty' f"     "No.     This  is  Ben 's  dog." 

Such  questioning  to  bring  out  the  important  words 
is  one  of  the  best  ways  of  securing  natural  expression. 

Another  form  of  unnatural  expression  comes  through 
an  effort  on  the  part  of  children  to  hurry  through  a  sen- 
tence. This  usually  represents  the  result  of  overstimu- 
lation on  the  part  of  the  teacher.  She  too  often  uses 
such  sentences  as  the  following:  "Who  can  read  this 
next  sentence  first?"  "Oh,  you  are  so  slow  to-day." 
"Hurry;  the  time  is  almost  gone." 

When  pupils  have  the  "hurry"  habit,  tell  them  you 
cannot  understand  them,  so  they  will  have  to  read  more 
as  they  talk. 

Just  the  opposite  of  the  "  hurry"  habit  is  that  of  read- 
ing jerkily  and  one  word  at  a  time.  It  is  the  result  of 
allowing  pupils  to  read  before  they  are  ready.  This 
habit  can  be  broken  up  only  by  insisting  that  pupils 
always  make  sure  they  know  all  the  words  of  a  sentence 
before  attempting  to  read  it. 

The  proper  inflection  of  the  voice  is  a  point  that  needs 


54  Five  Messages 

the  teacher's  constant  attention.  Many  first-grade  pu- 
pils have  a  tendency  toward  the  suspended  voice  at  the 
close  of  statements.  The  remedy  for  this  is  through  the 
meaning  again,  and  not  through  mechanical  directions. 
Teachers  should  never  say,  "Let  your  voice  fall  at  that 
period,"  but  rather,  "Have  you  finished  the  sentence?" 
If  the  pupil  answers  "Yes,"  she  should  say,  "Your 
voice  did  not  tell  me  so.  Read  it  again  and  show  by 
your  voice  when  you  have  finished."  By  this  method 
the  tendency  toward  the  suspended  voice  at  the  close 
of  statements  may  gradually  be  overcome. 

Another  tendency  of  many  first-grade  pupils  is  toward 
the  falling  voice  in  the  midst  of  sentences.  For  example, 
in  reading  such  sentences  as  "Ben  is  kind  to  Nip";  "He 
likes  to  play  with  him,"  they  let  the  voice  fall  on  the  words 
"kind"  and  "play."  The  remedy  for  this  tendency, 
likewise,  is  through  the  meaning.  Teachers  should 
never  say,  "Do  not  let  your  voice  fall,"  but  rather, 
1 '  With  what  word  do  you  finish  the  sentence  ?"  If  the  pu- 
pil answers  "Nip,"  she  should  say,  "Your  voice  sounded 
as  if  you  had  finished  at  the  word  'kind.'  Read  again, 
and  let  your  voice  show  just  where  you  do  finish."  By 
this  method  the  tendency  toward  the  falling  voice  in  the 
midst  of  sentences  may  be  gradually  overcome. 

After  giving  careful  attention  to  all  the  points  men- 
tioned above,  many  teachers  fail  to  secure  desired  expres- 
sion in  the  reading  of  their  classes.  They  seem  unable 
to  account  for  or  to  eliminate  a  certain  heaviness  of  style. 
The  difficulty  in  such  cases  is  due,  usually,  to  the  fact 
that  pupils  forget  to  read  to  their  audience.  When  once 
they  can  be  made  to  realize  the  necessity  of  making  their 
reading  interesting  to  those  who  listen,  they  soon  take 
on  a  lighter  and  more  conversational  style. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  55 

A  word  of  warning  is  necessary  at  this  point,  however. 
Pupils  sometimes  mistake  the  meaning  of  "making 
their  reading  interesting,"  and  take  on  an  affected  style. 
Teachers  must  guard  against  this. 

It  is  needless  to  say  that  to  develop  in  first-grade  pupils 
the  proper  use  of  the  voice  requires  much  time  and  skill 
as  well  as  patience  on  the  part  of  the  teacher. 

POSITION   WHEN   STANDING 

The  importance  of  the  proper  standing  position  can 
scarcely  be  overestimated.  To  stand  squarely  on  both 
feet,  leaning  against  nothing,  and  with  chest  up,  puts  a 
pupil  in  the  attitude  which  induces  easy  and  independent 
reading.  This  is  one  of  the  most  difficult  habits  to  estab- 
lish, and  one  that  calls  for  unceasing  attention. 

POSITION   WHEN    HOLDING   THE   BOOK 

Every  pupil  of  normal  eyesight  should  be  trained  to 
hold  his  book  in  both  hands  and  in  a  comfortable  posi- 
tion, with  eyes  far  enough  from  the  page  to  allow  the 
class  to  see  his  face  and  to  hear  his  voice.  The  tendency 
to  get  the  book  up  before  the  face  and  near  the  eyes 
must  be  overcome,  because  it  makes  good  reading  utterly 
impossible. 

Again,  to  develop  in  pupils  the  habit  of  assuming  the 
correct  position  of  the  body  in  reading  is  a  matter  that 
requires  time  and  patience.  Let  teachers  not  become 
discouraged,  but  remember  that  no  phase  of  education 
which  is  truly  worth  while  can  be  accomplished  in  a  day 
or  a  week. 

It  is  hoped,  therefore,  that  all  first-grade  teachers  will 


56  Five  Messages 

patiently  and  persistently  endeavor  to  do  what  they 
can  to  establish  in  pupils  the  habits  of  voice  and  body 
so  important  to  success  in  reading. 


Review  of  Past  Lessons 

Review  of  past  lessons  is  an  important  phase  of  the 
regular  recitation  in  reading.  It  keeps  the  thought 
fresh;  it  affords  opportunity  for  good  expression  because 
of  relatively  few  mechanical  obstacles;  it  furnishes  val- 
uable repetition  of  words;  and  it  provides  extra  material, 
thus  doing  away  with  the  necessity  of  reading  the  day's 
lesson  too  many  times. 

Care  should  be  taken,  however,  so  to  conduct  reviews 
as  not  to  allow  pupils  to  commit  lessons  to  memory  and 
then  to  read  in  parrot-like  fashion. 

The  following  suggestions  are  given  for  this  work: 

1.  Let  pupils  usually  read  their  last  lesson  before  tak- 
ing up  the  new  one.  This  takes  only  a  short  time  when 
pupils  are  equal  to  the  work  they  are  trying  to  do. 

2.  After  the  lesson  of  the  day  is  finished  let  pupils 
quickly  read  a  review  lesson  or  two  before  taking  their 
seats. 

3.  In  regular  review  lessons  assign  some  particular 
page  to  the  whole  class  and  have  pupils  read  one  lesson 
after  another,  each  child  reading  one  sentence;  again, 
each  reading  several  sentences. 

4.  Give  different  pages  to  the  different  pupils  and 
ask  each  to  be  ready  to  read  when  called  upon  in  class. 

5.  Ask  each  pupil  to  find  his  favorite  lesson  and  be 
ready  to  read  it  when  his  turn  comes. 

6.  Write  on  the  board  questions  calling  for  a  knowl- 
edge of  past  lessons;  have  pupils  read  silently,  if  possible, 
and  then  answer  orally. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  $f 

Practices  in  Book  Lessons  for  Teachers  to  Guard  . 
Against 

i.  Talking  too  much,  thus  wasting  time  and  causing 
pupils  to  listen  to  and  lean  on  the  teacher  rather  than 
to  work  for  themselves. 

2.  Allowing  pupils  to  answer  in  words  or  phrases  rather 
than  in  sentences. 

Pupils  should  not  talk  in  stiff,  stilted  sentences,  of  course;  this 
would  be  as  bad  as  the  other  extreme.  But  it  should  be  a  part  of  the 
teacher's  plan  to  have  children  talk  naturally.  She  should  not  ask 
questions  and  allow  pupils  to  fill  in  answers  by  speaking  merely 
words  or  phrases. 

3.  Allowing  one  pupil  to  read  when  others  are  not 
attending. 

4.  Allowing  pupils  to  attempt  to  read  when  not  ready. 

5.  Allowing  pupils  to  sit  or  stand  with  blank  or  indif- 
ferent minds  instead  of  making  them  know  they  must 
put  forth  effort  throughout  the  entire  reading  period. 

6.  Allowing  pupils  ever  to  pronounce  "a"  and  "the" 
in  isolation  from  the  rest  of  the  phrase  to  which  each 
belongs. 

7.  Allowing  pupils  to  make  a  great  buzzing  with  lips 
while  studying  a  sentence  just  preparatory  to  reading  it. 
Tell  them  that  all  good  readers  study  with  their  eyes. 

8.  Calling  a  sentence  a  "story." 

9.  Allowing  pupils  to  become  excited  and  wave  hands 
wildly  when  desiring  to  read. 

10.  Substituting  talking  for  actual  reading,  or  allow- 
ing anything  but  reading  to  monopolize  the  time  of  the 
reading  period. 

11.  Having  two  classes  read  the  same  lesson  in  one 
day,  thus  allowing  one  class  to  hear  the  other  and  so 
imitate  it. 


58  Five  Messages 

12.  Developing  subjects  in  reading  periods  that  should 
be  developed  in  opening  exercises,  or  oral  language 
lessons. 

13.  Giving  phonic  drill  during  reading  recitations 
that  should  be  relegated  to  word-study  periods. 

14.  Having  pupils  read  in  concert. 

15.  Developing  oratorical  effects  by  having  pupils  (1) 
study  a  sentence  and  then  read  it  without  looking  at  the 
book;  (2)  glance  off  the  book  and  at  their  audience  while 
reading  orally.  Neither  of  these  practices  is  natural. 
Let  first-grade  pupils  be  as  natural  as  possible  in  reading. 

16.  Allowing  violation  of  any  of  the  points  mentioned 
under  "Habits  which  First-grade  Pupils  Should  Form 
in  Reading." 

II.  SUPPLEMENTING  THE  BOOKS 

By  "supplementing"  reading  lessons  we  mean  the 
discussion,  expansion,  and  application  of  the  ideas  they 
suggest.  For  example,  if  a  lesson  represents  a  dialogue 
between  kittens  on  the  subject  of  cleanliness,  the  wise 
teacher  will  find  in  this  a  conversational  topic  applying 
to  children  as  well  as  to  kittens,  and  will  improve  the 
opportunity  thus  afforded  for  an  effective  supplemen- 
tary lesson.  Or,  if  a  reading  lesson  chance  to  tell  how 
certain  children  have  cared  for  young  birds  that  have 
fallen  from  their  nests,  the  teacher  should  encourage  her 
pupils  to  compare  their  experiences  with  those  related 
in  the  lesson.  It  is  quite  as  important  to  teach  children 
to  grasp  and  to  express  in  their  own  way,  and  to  follow 
up  ideas  suggested  by  reading  lessons,  as  to  have  them 
do  the  actual  reading. 

The  best  reading  books  are  those  filled  with  lessons 
which  stimulate  pupils  to  observation,  investigation,  and 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  59 

oral  discussion,  and  which  plant  in  their  minds  interests 
that  may  profitably  be  followed  up  indefinitely.  The 
supplementary  lessons  suggested  by  such  readers  repre- 
sent an  invaluable  part  of  first-grade  work. 

On  the  other  hand,  reading  books  filled  with  lessons 
which  supply  no  incentives  or  possibilities  for  supple- 
mentary activities  and  discussions  do  not  deserve  to 
classify  among  true  readers,  for  they  do  not  lend  them- 
selves to  the  development  of  thought  getting  and  thought 
giving — the  only  valid  excuse  for  which  readers  exist. 

The  following  suggestions  presuppose  reading  books 
capable  of  being  supplemented. 

Opening  Exercises 

Devote  the  first  fifteen  minutes  each  morning  to  a 
talk  with  pupils,  bringing  out  the  thought  to  be  made 
prominent  throughout  the  day.  By  referring  to  the 
outlines  of  Message  Five  teachers  will  find  an  abundance 
of  conversational  topics  suggested  for  each  subject. 

TYPES    OF    MORNING   TALKS 

The  morning  talk  may  be  based  upon  the  observation 
of  some  object  related  to  the  subject  of  the  day;  it  may 
take  the  form  of  a  report  by  pupils  in  which  they  tell 
things  they  have  been  requested  to  find  out  at  home  or 
elsewhere;  it  may  be  a  matter  of  supplementary  informa- 
tion put  into  conversational  or  story  form  by  the  teacher 
and  given  to  pupils  after  they  have  done  what  they  could 
to  get  first-hand  information  on  some  subject  under 
consideration ;  it  may  be  a  review  of  experiences  the  class 
has  had  in  a  recent  trip  of  investigation  to  some  point  in 
the  neighborhood  —  the  grocery  store,  for  example;  it 
may  be  a  review  of  some  subject  studied  at  school,  in 


60  Five  Messages 

which  case  pupils  may  often  talk  from  topics  written  on 
the  board;  it  may  be  a  combination  of  all  these;  it  may 
be  of  a  moral  nature,  the  teacher's  motive  being  to  im- 
press some  ideal. 

Thus  opening  exercises  afford  numerous  and  valuable 
opportunities  for  supplementing  book  lessons. 

Teachers  wishing  models  of  morning  talks  will  find  them  in  the 
book  entitled  In  the  Child's  World  given  in  the  list  of  references  in 
Message  Five. 

Help  from  Parents 

Whenever  possible  first-grade  pupils  should  go  to  their 
parents  for  information  on  subjects  they  are  studying 
at  school.  The  first-grade  child  who  does  this  parallels 
the  experience  of  his  brother  in  the  high  school  who  resorts 
to  the  library  for  desired  information. 

Any  means  of  securing  the  cooperation  of  parents  in 
assisting  the  little  ones  in  their  first  attempts  at  study 
furthers  the  success  of  the  teacher.  Especially  is  this 
true  when  working  with  a  plan  in  which  observation, 
investigation,  and  reports  by  pupils  play  so  large  a  part 
as  in  the  present  one.  Let  the  teacher,  therefore,  send 
a  tactful  note  to  the  parents  of  each  child  (if  she  cannot 
find  time  for  a  call),  explaining  her  purpose  in  the  matter 
and  requesting  their  cooperation. 

Songs  and  Games 

Songs  and  games  bring  out  an  aesthetic  appreciation 
of  subjects,  and  afford  a  means  of  expression  such  as 
nothing  else  can  give  in  the  first  grade.  These  may  be 
employed  in  music  periods;  they  may  be  brought  occa- 
sionally into  opening  exercises  when  especially  applicable 
to  the  subject  of  the  day;  and  they  may  often  have  a 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  61 

place  among  the  rest  exercises.     (References  are  given 
with  each  subject  in  Message  Five.) 

Dramatization 

"Playing"  a  reading  lesson  is  a  most  fascinating  form  of 
reproduction  for  first-grade  pupils.  Specific  directions  for 
this  work  cannot  be  given  because  the  work  is  essentially 
spontaneous,  growing  out  of  conditions  which  arise  in 
individual  schoolrooms  and  which  call  for  special  treat- 
ment by  individual  teachers.  However,  the  following 
general  directions  may  be  helpful: 

i.  Let  pupils  read  and  at  the  same  time  think  how 
to  play  a  lesson. 

2.  Let  them  talk  it  over,  trying  to  agree  among  them- 
selves how  best  to  do  this. 

3.  Let  them  read  again  to  decide  if  their  suggestions 
are  good. 

4.  Let  different  pupils  try  the  different  parts  to  see 
how  they  succeed. 

5.  Let  the  teacher  select  enough  children  to  take  all 
the  parts  and  play  the  whole  lesson  while  the  others 
look  on. 

6.  Let  her  select  new  pupils  for  the  parts  each  time 
the  lesson  is  played,  thus  giving  equal  opportunity  to  all. 

Stories 

Let  teachers  devote  at  least  twenty  minutes  daily  to 
literature;  more  if  possible.  Let  them  give  a  regular 
part  of  this  time  to  stories  carefully  selected  with  refer- 
ence to  subjects  under  consideration,  relating  them  to 
other  school  exercises.  (References  are  given  with 
each  subject  in  Message  Five.) 


62  Five  Messages 

PREPARATION   FOR  TELLING    STORIES 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  the  treatment  of  stories  is  a 
most  important  factor  in  the  influence  they  have  upon 
pupils,  suggestions  are  given  as  follows: 

Most  stories  should  be  told,  not  read,  to  first-grade 
pupils.  Teachers  should  prepare  these  before  presenting 
them.  Such  preparation  should  consist  of  thoughtful 
and  sympathetic  reading  of  the  story  from  one  or  more 
references;  discernment  of  the  underlying  thought  of  the 
story;  selection  and  mastery  of  idioms;  decision  as  to 
the  nature  and  scope  of  preparatory  conversation  rela- 
tive to  words,  phases,  or  conditions  likely  to  be  unfa- 
miliar. The  narration  should  be  vivid  with  employment 
of  dramatic  elements.  Since  the  same  story  is  given 
various  shades  of  meaning  by  different  story-tellers,  and 
since  there  are  so  many  versions  of  some  of  the  stories 
here  suggested,  it  frequently  becomes  necessary  for  a 
teacher  to  adapt  them.  It  will  be  seen  that  many  of 
the  stories  suggested  in  the  references  embody  ideals 
of  honor,  kindness,  patience,  courage,  thoughtfulness, 
and  industry.  These  points  should  not  be  lost  sight  of 
in  the  presentation. 

HELP    IN   ADAPTING   STORIES 

Teachers  will  find  help  in  the  work  of  adaptation  in 
the  words  of  Gudrun  Thorne-Thomsen,  one  of  our  best 
known  story-tellers,  who  says:  "A  truly  educative 
story  should  stand  the  following  tests :  It  should  contain 
a  universal  truth.  It  should  not  dwell  upon  the  cruel 
and  the  bloody.  It  should  have  a  plain,  simple  plot. 
It  should  be  dramatic.  It  should  leave  a  chance  for  the 
child's  own  interpretation  of  its  meaning." 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  63 

NUMBER   OF    STORIES    REPRODUCED   BY   PUPILS 

It  is  not  necessary  that  the  small  child  reproduce  all 
the  stories  he  hears.  It  would  tax  him,  and  would  tend 
to  make  the  work  mechanical.  Nevertheless,  he  should 
be  required  to  tell  some  of  them,  since  mental  images 
grow  through  expression.  Then,  too,  in  this  way  the 
child  enlarges  his  vocabulary  and  gains  power  over 
language. 

As  the  child  grows  in  ability  to  grasp  and  to  express 
stories,  he  should  reproduce  more  and  more  of  them.  It 
is  necessary  for  the  teacher  to  exercise  great  care  in  order 
to  keep  this  work  of  reproduction  from  the  two  extremes : 
first,  of  requiring  pupils  to  reproduce  so  many  of  the 
stories  that  the  work  is  made  formal;  and,  second,  of 
requiring  them  to  reproduce  so  few  that  they  become 
greedy  for  new  stories  and  unappreciative  of  the  famil- 
iar stories. 

NUMBER   OF    STORIES   TOLD   BY   TEACHERS 

Teachers  should  exercise  care  not  to  introduce  so 
many  stories  that  they  become  confused  in  the  child's 
mind.  As  a  rule,  however,  teachers  know  and  tell  too 
few  rather  than  too  many  educative  stories. 

ASSISTANCE    DURING    REPRODUCTION   OF   STORIES 

In  oral  reproduction  teachers  should  question  as  to 
omissions.  They  should  not  require  set  forms  of  expres- 
sion, but  should  encourage  use  of  idiomatic  or  specially 
fitting  expressions.  They  should  not  suggest  wording, 
but  sequence  of  thought,  when  pupils  hesitate.  They 
should  deal  sparingly  with  generalizations;  but  when 
these  are  brought  out,  they  should  come  from  the  pupils, 
not  from  the  teacher. 


64  Five  Messages 

v 
y 

Poems 

Let  teachers  give  regular  attention  to  the  teaching  of 
poems,  selecting  them,  as  well  as  stories,  with  reference 
to  subjects  under  consideration.  Nothing  can  com- 
pensate pupils  for  neglect  of  £his.  It  is  impossible  to 
suggest  any  one  way  of  teaching  poetry,  since  every 
poem  is  a  law  unto  itself,  and  since  conditions  govern 
methods.  Nevertheless,  the  following  suggestions  should 
be  kept  in  mind.  A  teacher,should  make  special  prepara- 
tion for  the  presentation  of  every  selection.  She  should 
also  prepare  her  class  to  appreciate  each  poem  before 
presenting  it.  A  study  of  Song?  of  Tree  Top  and  Meadow 
(pp.  1 71-192),  given  as  a  reference  in  Message  Five,  will 
prove  helpful  in  such  preparation.  Before  memoriz- 
ing is  begun,  the  poem  should  be  interestingly  read  or 
recited  to  the  pupils  to  give  them  a  whole  view.  Two 
or  more  renditions,  with  conversation  about  the  pictures 
presented,  may  be  necess-ary.  Mental  imagery  should 
be  developed  with  every  thought.  Each  stanza  should 
be  mentally  digested  before  the  next  is  undertaken.  A 
poem  once  taught  should  not  be  drilled  into  pupils  by 
having  one  child  after  another  mechanically  repeat  it. 
This  destroys  mental  imagery  and  robs  the  selection  of 
its  real  beauty.  Repetition  is  necessary,  but  this  may  be 
had  through  shorter  and  more  frequent  recitations. 
Very  little  concert  work  should  be  given,  because  it  tends 
to  destroy  individual  impression  and  expression.  Above 
all,  a  poem  should  not  be  overtaught.  It  should  be  given 
an  opportunity  to  make  its  own  appeal  to  the  child. 


MESSAGE  THREE 

WORD  STUDY  AS  RELATED  TO  READING 

INTRODUCTION 
The  Supplement  to  Thought  Reading 

1lA7'ORD  study  is  the  necessary  supplement  to  thought 
reading.  Without  it,  pupils  do  not  have  sufficient 
opportunity  for  review  of  words.  With  it,  there  is  no 
necessity  for  tiresome  and  meaningless  variation  of 
sentences  merely  to  impress  words. 

Number  op  Words  Pupils  Should  Know 

As  to  the  number  of  words  an  ordinary  class  should 
know  at  any  particular  time,  it  is  impossible  to  say.  At 
the  close  of  the  first  month  the  number  is  necessarily 
indefinite,  because  in  the  early  lessons  drill  cannot  and 
should  not  keep  pace  with  thought,  and  because  many 
words  are,  therefore,  partly  learned  but  not  firmly  fixed. 
At  the  close  of  the  fifth  month  the  number  is  even  more 
indefinite,  because  the  phonic  power  which  pupils  have 
developed  by  this  time  makes  it  possible  for  them  to 
pronounce,  with  a  fair  degree  of  accuracy,  an  almost 
unlimited  number  of  words.  It  is,  therefore,  not  neces- 
sary, nor  is  it  intended,  that  word  study  shall  exactly 
parallel  reading,  but  that  it  shall  supplement  it  so  as  to 
make  such  reading  as  is  done  at  any  time  a  matter  of 
thought  getting  and  giving  and  not  one  of  drill. 

5  65 


66  Five  Messages 

Two  General  Types  of  Word  Study 

There  are  two  general  types  of  word  study: 

i.  That  employed  in  connection  with  reading  and  so 
closely  related  to  it  that  it  can  scarcely  be  distinguished 
from  it. 

2.  That  employed  in  isolated  drills  and,  consequently, 
separated  entirely  from  the  reading. 

Of  the  first  type,  there  are  three  phases  applied  as 
follows : 

i.  In  the  development  of  the  words  of  a  lesson,  through 
the  thought  as  brought  out  by  the  teacher.  (See  p.  46 
of  Message  Two.) 

2.  In  the  study  of  words  during  a  lesson,  for  the 
thought.     (See  p.  47  of  Message  Two.) 

3.  In  slight  drill  upon  words  at  the  close  of  a  lesson, 
to  review  the  thought.     (See  p.  16  of  Message  One.) 

In  early  lessons  pupils  naturally  approach  the  form  of 
words  through  the  meaning,  but  later  they  must  study 
form  more  directly.  Progress  in  word  study,  therefore, 
involves  an  increasing  amount  of  isolated  drill.  Atten- 
tion is  given  exclusively  to  this  kind  of  word  study 
throughout  the  remainder  of  this  chapter. 

There  are  three  phases  of  isolated  drill,  applied  as 
follows : 

1 .  In  studying  words  as  wholes. 

2.  In  studying  words  with  reference  to  their  phonic 
elements. 

3.  In  studying  words  with  reference  to  the  sequence 
of  letters  composing  them. 

Each  of  these  phases  of  drill  is  made  the  subject  of  a 
separate  section  later  on  in  this  chapter. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  6? 

Time  Necessary  for  Word  Study 

In  order  that  word  study  may  react  properly  upon 
reading,  thus  performing  its  part  in  our  plan,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  devote  as  much  time  to  it  as  to  the  reading  itself. 
About  thirty  minutes  daily;  for  word  study  are  therefore 
suggested  for  each  first  grade  in  graded  schools.  The 
distribution  of  this  time  among  the  different  kinds  of 
drill  is  a  matter  of  some  importance,  hence  the  following 
suggestions:  During  the  ikst_guarter,  twenty  of  the 
thirty  minutes  daily  should  be  given  to  drills  on  words 
as  wholes.  (See  p.  68.)  From  two  to  five  of  these  twenty 
minutes  should  be  given  to  visualization.  (See  p.  107.) 
The  remaining  ten  of  the  thirty  minutes  should  be  given 
to  phonic  exercises.     (See  p.  91.) 

During  the  second  and  third  quarters,  fifteen  minutes 
should  be  given  to  each,  allowing,  out  of  this  time,  about 
five  minutes  daily  for  visualization.  During  the  fourth 
quarter,  ten  of  the  thirty  minutes  should  be  given  to 
words  as  wholes,  and  the  remaining  twenty  to  phonic 
drill.  From  two  to  five  of  these  twenty  minutes  should 
be  given  to  the  first  work  in  spelling.     (See  p.  108.) 

Where  to  Find  Words 

As  was  said  at  the  beginning,  word  study  is  supplemen- 
tary to  reading.  This  being  the  case,  the  words  employed 
should  be  taken  from  the  reading  lessons.  It  is  neces- 
sary, therefore,  for  teachers  to  decide  which  words  of 
each  lesson  should  be  listed  for  future  drill;  also,  to  decide 
the  best  way  of  impressing  each  of  the  words  thus  listed. 

Different  Words  Treated  Differently 

In  considering  the  selection  of  words  for  drill  purposes, 
let  teachers  decide  which  are: 


68  Five  Messages 

i.  Special  to  the  particular  lesson  and,  consequently, 
not  common  enough  to  be  put  into  the  list.  (Example, 
Hallowe'en.) 

2.  Easiest  for  visualization  exercises. 

3.  Suitable  for  use  in  connection  with  phonic  work  as 
outlined  later  in  this  chapter. 

4.  Best  to  go  in  the  list  of  words  to  be  presented  as  wholes. 
All  words  belong  to  this  last  list  when  first  brought 

out  in  reading,  but  many  of  those  which  obey  phonetic 
rules  (phonetic  words)  gradually  relegate  themselves  to 
the  phonic  list  as  pupils  grow  in  power.  They  do  not 
all  do  so  in  the  first  year,  however,  for,  according  to  this 
plan,  first-grade  .classes  cover  only  the  easy  and  most 
common  parts  of  the  phonetic  field.  For  this  reason 
many  miscellaneous  phonetic  words  are  left  throughout 
the  first  year  in  the  list  of  those  to  be  taught  as  wholes. 
A  study  of  the  phonic  outlines  found  later  in  this  chapter 
will  give  teachers  a  clear  understanding  as  to  which 
words  should  be  placed  in  phonic  lists  and  which  in  those 
containing  words  to  be  presented  as  wholes. 

After  a  teacher  has  thus  decided  the  general  method  for 
impressing  each  of  the  different  words  of  a  lesson,  it  remains 
for  her  to  select  and  use  from  the  devices  given  below 
only  those  best  suited  to  the  needs  of  her  particular  class. 

I.  DEVICES  FOR  IMPRESSING  WORDS 
AS  WHOLES1 

FIRST  QUARTER 
Animation  and  Attention  Necessary 
In  every  word  drill  there  should  be  animation  coupled 
with  attention  on  the  part  of  the  pupils.     This  may  be 

1  The  author  is  indebted  to  the  primary  teachers  of  the  Seattle 
Public  Schools  for  many  of  these  devices,  as  well  as  for  many  oi 
those  given  under  the  head  of  phonics. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  6g 

secured  by  employing  quick  and  taking  methods,  to- 
gether with  a  sufficient  variety  of  devices.  A  "sufficient 
variety"  consists  of  just  enough  to  stimulate  interest 
without  confusing  pupils  and  thus  interfering  with 
concentration. 

Careful  Selection 

From  the  following  suggestions  teachers  should  select 
carefully  the  few  best  suited  to  the  purpose  of  each  day, 
remembering  that  their  choice  need  not  correspond  with 
the  sequence  here  given.  A  number  of  the  devices  given 
are  inserted  for  the  purpose  of  lending  animation  and 
brightness  to  exercises  and  are  intended  only  for  occasional 
use. 

Position  of  Classes 

Let  teachers  vary  the  position  of  classes  during  word- 
study  exercises,  sometimes  calling  them  to  the  front  and 
sometimes  allowing  them  to  remain  in  their  seats. 

Every  Child  Must  be  Heard 

In  every  recitation  let  teachers  see  that  every  child 
speaks  distinctly  and  loudly  enough  to  be  heard  by  every 
other  child.     Otherwise,  much  valuable  time  is  wasted. 

Blackboard  Devices 

i.  Write  duplicate  lists  of  words  on  the  board.  Point 
to  a  word  in  one  list,  asking  some  pupil  to  put  his  pointer 
on  the  same  word  in  the  other  list.  Vary  this  exercise 
by  erasing  words  and  having  pupils  erase. 

2.  Pronounce  words  from  a  list  on  the  board,  asking 
different  pupils  to  point  to  them. 

3.  Give   two   pupils    pointers   and    pronounce    words 


jo  Five  Messages 

from  the  board,  seeing  which  can  be  first  to  touch  each 
word  as  pronounced. 

4.  Give  two  pupils  white  crayon;  then  pronounce 
words,  asking  one  pupil  to  place  a  cross  before  and  the 
other  a  cross  after  his  words.  The  pupil  first  placing 
his  cross  gets  the  word.  Count  to  see  which  gets  the 
greater  number. 

5.  Give  two  pupils  crayons  of  different  colors;  then 
pronounce  words,  seeing  which  pupil  can  be  first  to  under- 
line each  word.  Count  to  see  which  color  underlines 
the  greater  number  of  words. 

6.  Write  words  on  the  board  promiscuously,  asking  a 
group  of  pupils  each  to  go  and  touch  a  word  he  knows. 
When  the  teacher  touches  a  pupil's  word  with  her  pointer 
let  him  pronounce  it. 

7.  Place  a  number  of  words  on  the  board.  Let  the 
teacher  point  to  and  pronounce  a  word,  then  hand  the 
pointer  to  some  child,  who  also  points  to  and  pronounces 
a  word,  and  in  his  turn  hands  the  pointer  to  some  other 
child,  who  proceeds  in  like  manner. 

Vary  this  exercise  by  calling  for  a  word  and  having 
some  one  point  to  it,  allowing  the  one  finding  it  to  call 
for  another  word  and  to  select  some  one  else  to  point  it 
out;  and  then  to  proceed  in  like  manner. 

8.  Write  words  on  the  board.  Send  one  pupil  after 
another  to  erase  and  pronounce  those  they  know. 

9.  Let  pupils  look  while  the  teacher  erases  a  word 
in  a  column  or  sentence.  Let  them  say  it,  either  singly 
or  in  concert,  after  it  has  been  erased. 

Teachers  should  not  have  a  great  deal  of  concert  work  in  drill 
upon  words  as  wholes.  Weak  pupils  imitate  the  strong,  thus 
missing  the  growth  that  comes  through  effort,  and  many  mistakes 
necessarily  go  uncorrected. 

10.  Write  a  word  on  the  board  and  erase  it  immediately. 


To    Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  Ji 

Let  the  pupil  who  pronounces  it  first  take  his  place  in 
the  "quick  line."  At  the  close  of  the  exercise,  have 
each  one  in  the  "quick  line"  pronounce  a  word  before 
taking  his  place  again  in  class. 

ii.  Write  words  on  the  board.  Let  a  row  of  pupils 
skip  by,  each  touching  and  saying  a  word  as  he  passes. 

The  Word  Holder 

Let  teachers  adapt  to  the  "word  holder,"  described 
below,  many  of  the  devices  suggested  above  for  the  board. 
This  little  piece  of  equipment  proves  a  great  convenience 
in  word  drills,  giving  freshness  and  added  interest  to  them. 

In  making  the  holder  let  teachers  proceed  as  follows : 

Take  a  sheet  of  stiff  tagboard  22"  x  28",  obtained  at 
slight  cost  at  any  printing  office.  Rule  crosswise,  leaving 
spaces  four  inches  wide.  Next,  cut  strips  of  tagboard 
i}4"  x  22".  Just  above  each  line  on  the  large  sheet 
paste  one  of  these  strips,  putting  glue  on  the  ends  and 
lower  edge  only,  forming  a  shallow  pocket.  The  pockets 
thus  made  are  word  holders  which  may  be  employed  in 
a  variety  of  devices  with  word  cards  made  as  follows: 

With  a  rubber  pen  or  the  rubber  end  of  a  lead  pencil 
write  words  on  strips  of  cardboard  3"  x  11",  making 
letters  at  least  two  inches  high.  On  the  back  of  each 
card  in  small  letters  write  the  word  in  duplicate  for  the 
teacher's  use.  In  devices  given  below  we  speak  of  cards 
thus  made  as  "large  word  cards."  Keep  a  list  of  words 
written  upon  these  cards  (one  word  on  a  card),  and  keep 
the  words  up  to  date  with  new  ones  brought  out  in  read- 
ing lessons. 

In  addition  to  duplicating  with  the  "word  holder"  the 
devices  given  above  for  blackboard,  let  teachers  duplicate 
with  it  all  possible  devices  given  below  for  cards. 


J2  Five  Messages 

Devices  with  Large  Word  Cards 
(See  directions  for  making  these  cards  on  p.  71.) 

1.  Hold  cards  before  the  class,  one  at  a  time,  and 
have  them  recite  in  concert;  or  have  one  child  answer 
at  a  time  until  all  in  the  room  have  had  a  turn;  or  have 
one  child  stand  and  recite  until  he  makes  a  mistake, 
when  another  takes  his  place;  or  let  one  row  recite  at 
a  time,  the  whole  row  standing  as  the  teacher  turns  a 
card  toward  the  first  child,  one  after  another  sitting 
as  he  recites;  or  let  the  two  sides  of  the  room  vie  with 
each  other  to  see  which  can  pronounce  the  most  words 
correctly. 

The  effectiveness  of  the  above  work  depends  largely 
upon  the  manner  in  which  the  teacher  handles  the  cards. 
She  should  hold  them  in  front  of  her  and  shift  them 
quickly,  depending  upon  the  small  words  written  on  the 
side  toward  her  corresponding  to  the  large  words  which 
are  turned  to  the  view  of  pupils. 

2.  Pass  to  pupils  small  cards  containing  words  cor- 
responding to  those  on  the  large  cards.  Hold  up  a 
large  card  and  let  the  child  (or  possibly  several)  who  has 
the  same  word  on  his  small  card  bring  it  to  the  teacher; 
let  him  hold  it  under  the  large  card,  so  as  to  compare, 
and  then  pronounce  the  word  so  all  can  hear. 

3.  Vary  this  exercise  by  writing  a  word  on  the  board, 
while  pupils  observe,  instead  of  holding  up  a  large  card. 

4.  Place  the  cards  in  a  row  on  the  ledge  of  the  board, 
having  the  class  pronounce  the  word  on  each  as  the 
teacher  puts  it  down.  Pronounce  words,  asking  differ- 
ent pupils  to  pass  up  and  get  the  cards  containing  them. 
Let  the  teacher  gather  up  the  cards,  having  the  whole 
class  pronounce  as  each  word  is  taken  from  a  pupil;  or, 
call  for  a  certain  word  and  have  the  child  who  has  it 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  yj 

quickly  place  it  on  the  ledge  of  the  board,  continuing 
thus  until  all  cards  have  been  placed.  Let  some  one 
child  go  to  the  board  and  quickly  gather  up  all  the 
cards,  pronouncing  the  word  on  each  as  he  picks  it  up. 
When  he  fails,  let  another  child  take  his  place. 

5.  Hold  up  a  card.  Let  pupils  see  who  can  pronounce 
the  word  first.  Give  the  card  to  the  one  who  does  so. 
Continue  until  the  cards  are  all  given  out.  Then  count 
to  see  which  pupil  has  the  most. 

6.  Hold  up  a  card.  Let  the  pupil  who  first  recog- 
nizes the  word  get  it  and  come  to  the  front.  When 
eight  or  ten  pupils  are  thus  standing  in  front,  let  those 
in  their  seats  pronounce  the  words,  one  at  a  time,  taking 
the  places  and  cards  of  the  pupils  in  front. 

7.  Let  twelve  or  fourteen  pupils  stand  in  front  of 
the  class,  holding  cards.  Let  them  pronounce  their 
words,  one  after  another  down  the  line,  while  pupils  in 
seats  watch  and  listen.  Then  let  them  quickly  exchange 
cards  and  pronounce  again.  Next,  let  two  pupils  from 
the  seats  go  to  the  front,  one  to  each  end  of  the  line,  and 
see  who,  by  pronouncing  them  correctly,  can  get  the 
greater  number  of  words.  Pupils  holding  the  cards  must 
not  give  them  up  if  those  pronouncing  make  mistakes. 

Miscellaneous  Suggestions 

1.  Give  daily  drill  in  simple  phrases  composed  of  "a" 
and  its  noun,  also  "the"  and  its  noun;  for  example. 
"a  boy,"  "a  girl,"  "the  flower,"  "the  fruit."  Never 
drill  on  nor  refer  to  "the"  or  "thu."  Teach  pupils  al- 
ways to  say  the  words  of  these  phrases  together  as  one 
word,  never  allowing  them  to  separate  the  articles  from 
their  nouns,  nor  to  emphasize  the  articles  unduly. 

2.  Reserve  a  space  on  the  board,  in  plain  view  of  the 


74  Five  Messages 

class,  large  enough  for  about  ten  words.  In  this  space 
keep  the  words  that  most  need  to  be  impressed,  and 
drill  upon  them  at  spare  moments. 

3.  During  the  transition  from  script  to  print  invent 
a  number  of  devices  for  matching  words,  using  both 
cards  and  blackboard. 

4.  Sometimes  dismiss  a  class,  one  at  a  time,  by  letting 
each  pupil  slip  away  to  his  seat  after  pronouncing  some 
word  indicated  by  the  teacher.  Keep  those  who  miss 
until  the  last,  and  give  them  a  slight  review  before  dis- 
missing them. 

SECOND  QUARTER 
Blackboard  Devices 

1.  Continue  devices  employed  the  first  quarter. 

2.  Write  several  columns  of  familiar  words  on  the 
board,  each  containing  five  or  six  words.  Let  each 
pupil  "run  up  and  down"  or  "down  and  up"  (pronounc- 
ing) to  see  who  can  do  it  in  the  shortest  time. 

Vary  this  exercise  by  having  pupils  "run  up"  one  col- 
umn and  "run  down"  another;  also,  by  having  one 
child  run  up  one  and  down  another  throughout  the 
entire  list. 

3 .  Have  a  class  turn  to  some  page  of  the  Primer.  Write 
words  on  the  board  and  have  pupils  find  them  in  the 
book. 

4.  Write  a  list  of  words  on  the  board.  Have  pupils 
observe  them  carefully,  then  look  away  while  the  teacher 
erases  one.  Have  them  look  again  to  discover  and  tell 
which  word  was  erased. 

Vary  this  exercise  by  using  the  word  holder  described 
in  devices  for  the  first  quarter,  slipping  a  word  card  out 
instead  of  erasing  as  above. 


To    Teachers   of  Primary  Reading  75 

5.  Write  words  on  the  board.  Have  one  pupil  of 
the  class  close  his  eyes  while  another  points  to  a  certain 
word.  Let  the  pupil  whose  eyes  were  closed  then  take 
the  pointer  and  pronounce  words  until  he  finds  the  one 
selected,  asking  the  question,  "Was  it  'mother'?"  One, 
many,  or  all  the  pupils  answer,  "  No,  it  was  not  'mother.' " 
In  this  way,  let  several  pupils  have  an  opportunity  to 
take  part.     Use  the  word  holder  for  this  also. 

6.  Give  the  meaning  of  words  on  the  board  and  let 
pupils  find  and  pronounce  them.  Thus:  "Find  some- 
thing good  to  eat."     Some  pupil  points  to  "apple." 

7.  Let  two  pupils  cover  their  eyes  while  the  class 
observes  the  teacher  erase  a  word  from  a  list  on  the  board. 
Let  the  two  then  try  to  discover  what  word  has  been 
erased.  Call  the  one  who  finds  out  first  the  winner, 
and  let  the  other  step  back  into  class.  Let  the  teacher 
then  select  a  new  child  to  step  up  beside  the  winner, 
ready  to  begin  the  exercise  again. 

8.  W'rite  about  five  familiar  words  on  the  blackboard, 
not  pronouncing  them.  Erase  these  after  pupils  have 
visualized,  and  let  them  give  as  many  as  they  can 
remember. 

9.  Give  daily  drill  upon  such  phrases  as  "a  little  girl,"  ' 
"a  pretty  flower,"  "the  warm  sun."  Vary  this  drill  by 
using  phrases  in  a  conversational  manner.  Say,  for 
example,  "I  never  saw,"  and  then  write  the  words,  "a 
blue  apple."  Questions  as  well  as  statements  may  be 
employed  in  this  exercise. 

10.  Let  the  teacher  tell  some  simple  everyday  story, 
bringing  in  familiar  words  written  promiscuously  upon 
the  board.  Let  pupils  point  to  each  of  these  words  as 
she  uses  it  and  pauses  for  them  to  find  it. 

11.  In  preparing  for  Christmas  work,  draw  a  large 
tree  on  the  board  and  write  in  its  branches  the  names 


y6  Five  Messages 

of  possible  Christmas  gifts.  Work  out  a  variety  of 
interesting  exercises  from  this.  Use  the  outline  of  a 
large  Christmas  stocking  in  the  same  way. 

12.  Select  those  Mother  Goose  rimes  that  contain 
words  common  to  the  reading  lessons  of  a  class,  and  write 
the  important  words  on  the  board,  but  not  in  the  same 
sequence  as  found  in  the  rime.  Repeat  the  rime  and 
let  pupils  place  the  pointer  on  each  of  the  words  as  the 
teacher  pauses  for  them  to  find  it. 

13.  For  review,  let  pupils  give  all  the  words  they 
can  remember  from  past  drills,  and  let  the  teacher  write 
them  on  the  board.  When  all  possible  are  given  let  the 
teacher  point  to  the  words  and  call  upon  pupils  promis- 
cuously to  pronounce. 

14.  Let  the  teacher  play  "deaf  and  dumb,"  writing 
questions  which  pupils  must  answer  orally.  Let  her 
thus  repeat  important  or  difficult  words  in  a  variety  of 
questions.     For  example: 

Are  you  warm? 

Are  you  cold? 

Are  you  at  school? 

Are  you  in  the  B  Class? 

15.  Write  a  list  of  words  on  the  board.  Duplicate 
it  with  another  list  beginning  with  capitals  Give  ex- 
ercises for  matching  identical  words.  Use  the  word 
holder  for  this  also. 

16.  Let  the  teacher  touch  with  the  pointer  three 
words  in  succession  and  then  call  upon  some  child  to 
pronounce  the  words  from  memory.  After  doing  so, 
let  the  child  point  to  three  other  words  and  call  upon 
another  child,  who  must  proceed  as  he  did. 

Vary  this  exercise  by  using  large  word  cards  and  turn- 
ing three  before  asking  pupils  to  pronounce  them. 

17.  Write  a  list  of  words  on  the  board.     Without 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  77 

pointing,  let  the  teacher  pronounce  the  first  word,  the 
class  the  second,  the  teacher  the  third,  and  so  on;  or 
the  girls  the  first  and  the  boys  the  second;  or  let  pupils 
take  turns.  Vary  this  exercise  by  pronouncing  only 
every  other  word.     Use  the  word  holder  for  this  also. 

18.  Before  school  on  Monday  morning  write  all  the 
words  of  last  week's  reading  lessons  on  the  board.  Give 
quick,  animated  review  of  these.  For  example,  let  the 
teacher  pronounce  words  and  two  pupils  with  pointers 
see  who  can  touch  each  word  first.  Employ  a  variety 
of  devices  here. 

19.  Invent  ways  of  utilizing  the  Primer  in  word  drills. 
For  example,  write  the  important  words  from  some 
review  lesson  and  have  pupils,  who  thus  get  the  clew, 
either  name  or  find  the  lesson. 

Devices  with  Large  Word  Cards 

1.  Place  ten  or  twelve  large  word  cards  on  the  ledge 
of  the  front  board.  Let  two  pupils  begin  at  opposite 
ends,  pronouncing  words  in  turn.  If  one  misses  a  word, 
the  other  has  a  chance  at  it.  Let  the  point  be  to  see 
who  can  get  the  most  words. 

2.  Place  ten  or  twelve  large  cards  on  the  ledge  of  the 
board.  Send  a  pupil  to  the  front  to  hold  up  the  cards, 
one  at  a  time,  calling  upon  some  pupil  to  pronounce 
each  as  he  does  so.  If  this  pupil  can  pronounce  the  word, 
let  him  skip  to  the  front,  take  a  card,  and  hold  it  in  view 
of  the  class.  Let  the  first  pupil  proceed  in  like  manner 
until  all  the  cards  are  given  out  and  are  held  by  as  many 
pupils,  standing  in  a  row  in  front.  Let  each  in  the  row 
then  call  upon  some  pupil  in  the  seats  to  pronounce  his 
word.  Let  him  then  place  his  word  on  the  ledge  and  take 
his  seat.  In  like  manner,  dismiss  the  whole  row  and  call 
a  new  pupil  to  the  front  to  begin  the  exercise  again. 


78  Five  Messages 

3.  Write  words  on  small  pieces  of  paper.  Let  one 
pupil  throw  these  upward  and  the  others  in  the  class 
pick  up  those  they  can  pronounce.  Let  pupils  then 
quickly  put  their  words  into  a  box  held  by  the  teacher, 
each  pronouncing  them  as  he  does  so. 

If  this  exercise  causes  confusion,  omit  it.  It  need  not  do  so, 
however. 

4.  From  words  taken  from  past  reading  lessons  select 
those  verbs  that  lend  themselves  to  dramatization, 
writing  each  on  a  large  card.  Example,  "fly,"  "come." 
When  the  teacher  holds  up  the  word  "come"  and  says  to 
some  child,  "Do  this,"  let  him  step  up  to  her. 

5.  Let  the  teacher  give  a  large  word  card  to  each 
child,  telling  him  to  be  ready  to  pronounce  it  as  she 
quickly  passes  him  in  going  the  rounds  of  the  class.  If 
he  can  do  so,  let  her  take  his  card  and  give  him  a  new 
one.  If  not,  let  her  tell  him  to  study  until  she  comes 
again,  and  then  let  her  assist  him  if  necessary. 

6.  Make  charts  of  heavy  manila  paper  or  of  tagboard. 
Write  on  these  the  words  that  persist  in  being  trouble- 
some. For  example,  "was,"  "when,"  "why,"  "are," 
"of,"  "this,"  and  the  like.  Give  some  slight  attention 
daily  to  drills  from  these  charts. 

7.  Have  the  class  take  position  on  the  floor  as  for  a 
spelling  match  in  higher  grades.  Let  the  teacher  hold 
up  large  word  cards,  giving  a  turn  first  to  one  side  and 
then  to  the  other.  Instead  of  "spelling  down,"  let  them 
"pronounce  down,"  each  child  taking  his  seat  when  he 
misses. 

Circle  Games 

(Class  in  circle,  holding  large  word  cards) 

1.  Let  a  child  in  the  center  start  at  some  point  and 
pronounce  as  many  words  as  he  can.    When  he  misses  a 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  yg 

word  let  the  pupil  who  pronounces  it  take  his  place  in 
the  center. 

2.  Let  the  teacher  name  two  pupils,  and  let  each  pro- 
nounce the  word  held  by  the  other. 

3.  Let  pupils  play  "Pussy  Wants  a  Corner"  as  follows: 
Let  the  teacher  pronounce  the  words  held  by  two  pupils, 
who  must  try  to  exchange  places  immediately,  while  a 
child  in  the  center  tries  to  get  one  of  the  places. 

Vary  this  exercise  by  touching  one  pupil,  who  imme- 
diately pronounces  the  word  on  some  card  held  by  another. 
Let  this  second  pupil  then  pronounce  the  word  on  the 
card  of  the  first  and  try  to  exchange  places  with  him. 
Let  the  child  in  the  center  try  to  get  the  place  of  either 
of  the  pupils  who  thus  exchange. 

4.  Let  some  child  speak  the  name  of  a  second,  who 
pronounces  the  word  held  by  the  first  child  and  then 
names  another,  who  proceeds  in  like  manner.  Let  any 
child  who  misses,  step  into  the  circle  and  remain  there 
until  he  can  pronounce  some  word  missed  by  another 
child. 

5.  Let  the  teacher  name  about  five  pupils  in  various 
parts  of  the  circle,  who  must  turn  their  backs  as  she 
speaks  their  names.  Let  the  children  in  the  circle  "turn 
them  back"  by  pronouncing  words  held  by  these  pupils. 
As  the  word  held  by  each  is  pronounced  let  him  face  the 
circle  again. 

Vary  this  exercise  and  make  it  more  difficult  by  asking 
pupils  to  give  the  name  of  the  child  who  has  each  partic- 
ular word. 

6.  Let  the  teacher  whisper  some  word  to  the  center 
child,  who  holds  a  bean  bag.  For  example,  "thank." 
Let  him  say  "Frank,"  and  quickly  toss  the  bag  to  some 
child,  who  immediately  gives  a  riming  word  and  tosses 
it  back  to  the  center.     Let  the  center  child  give  another 


80  Five  Messages 

riming  word  and  toss  it  to  another,  who  proceeds  as  the 
first  child  did.  Let  the  teacher  be  ready  with  a  new  word 
as  soon  as  the  common  words  of  one  "family"  are  thus 
exhausted. 

THIRD  AND  FOURTH  QUARTERS 
Blackboard  Devices 

i.  Continue  the  devices  employed  the  first  and  second 
quarters. 

From  this  point  on,  the  study  of  words  composed  of 
familiar  phonetic  elements  should  more  and  more  be 
relegated  to  the  regular  phonic  exercises.  Especially 
is  this  true  of  word  drills  directly  preparatory  to  reading 
lessons. 

2.  Write  three  or  four  words  on  the  board  and  let 
pupils  glance  at  them,  quickly  visualizing.  Cover  the 
words  with  a  piece  of  cardboard,  asking  pupils  to  pro- 
nounce. 

Vary  this  exercise  by  having  a  longer  list  of  words  and 
asking  pupils  to  turn  about  and  pronounce  as  many  as 
they  can  remember.     Use  word  holder  also. 

3.  Hang  a  large  word  card  on  one  child's  back.  Let 
the  word  on  the  card  correspond  to  some  word  in  a  list 
of  ten  on  the  board.  Let  the  pupils  each  describe  the 
word,  giving  one  sentence,  and  let  the  one  who  holds  it 
guess  the  word  from  the  descriptions. 

Vary  this  exercise  by  using  the  word  holder  as  follows : 
Turn  words  in  the  holder  to  the  board  after  pupils  have 
observed  them.  Let  some  child  go  to  the  front,  take  a 
card,  and,  without  letting  the  class  see  the  word,  describe 
it  for  the  class  to  guess. 

4.  Write  a  word  like  "pin"  on  the  board,  telling  pupils 
you  are  thinking  of  a  riming  word.     Let  them  ask  ques- 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  81 

tions  thus :  "Is  it  something  from  which  cups  are  made ?" 
"No,  it  is  not  'tin.'  "  (Writes  "tin.")  A  long  list  is 
often  thus  worked  out  before  the  right  word  is  given. 

5.  Place  a  list  of  words  on  the  board  as  "think," 
"sing,"  "tree,"  "window,"  "still,"  and  send  two  pupils 
from  the  room  to  decide  which  of  these  words  to  act 
before  the  school.  If  they  decide  upon  "still"  they  will 
probably  enter  the  room  walking  on  tiptoe.  The  child 
who  guesses  the  word  from  the  acting,  names  another 
child  to  help  him  act  a  new  word  from  the  list. 

6.  Have  each  child  turn  to  the  word  list  in  the  back 
of  the  Primer  and  pronounce  words  in  succession,  omitting, 
if  necessary,  those  special  to  subjects  or  seasons. 

7.  To  teach  correct  idioms,  let  the  teacher  quickly 
write  on  the  board  "I  have  seen,"  asking  some  pupil 
to  read  what  she  has  written  and  to  finish  out  the  sen- 
tence. Let  him  answer,  for  example,  "I  have  seen  the 
show." 

Let  the  teacher  continue  with  such  idioms  as, 
I  saw  Have  you  seen  ? 

We  were  Those  girls 

I  shall  go  He  is  n't 

Thus  in  one  lesson  much  quick  practice  both  in  reading 
and  language  may  be  given. 

Let  the  teacher  select  idioms  corresponding  to  the 
needs  of  her  class. 

Miscellaneous  Suggestions 

1.  Drill  on  words  found  on  review  pages  in  readers, 
thus:  Let  the  teacher  write  on  the  board  some  page 
in  the  reader  and  ask  the  pupils  to  find  it.  Then  let 
her  say,  "Find  and  pronounce  the  second  word  in  the 
third  line;  the  fourth  word  in  the  sixth  line;  the  next 
to  the  last  word  in  the  third  line  from  the  last." 


82  Five  Messages 

Vary  this  exercise  by  writing  the  words  on  the  board 
and  having  pupils  pronounce  them  and  describe  their 
location.  When  pupils  hesitate  over  a  word  in  the  read- 
ing lesson,  teach  them  always  to  locate  their  difficulty 
in  this  way.  Nothing  expedites  matters  more  than  the 
formation  of  this  simple  habit. 

2 .  Give  practice  on  the  different  forms  of  the  same  word. 
For  example,  "look,"  "looks,"  "looked,"  "looking." 

3.  Present  words  grouped  according  to  subjects.  For 
example,  "What  we  see  in  the  spring":  "robins," 
"bluebirds,"  "wrens,"  "violets,"  "tulips,"  "green  grass," 
"green  leaves."  Or,  "A  picnic  lunch":  "bread  and 
butter,"  "milk,"  "meat,"  "fruit." 

4.  Make  lists  of  words  found  in  readers  representing  the 
different  parts  of  speech  and  give  frequent  drills  upon 
them,  employing  word  card,  blackboard,  and  chart  devices. 
For  example,  let  one  list  represent  personal  pronouns: 
"I,"  "he,"  "she,"  "we,"  "they,"  "me,"  "us,"  "him," 
"her,"  "them,"  "our,"  "their,"  "who,"  "whose." 

5.  Employ  word-study  devices  that  react  upon  language 
habits.  The  following  devices  for  enunciation  are  of 
this  description. 

a.  Write  words  ending  with  those  consonants  frequently 
slighted  in  pronunciation  and  give  pupils  drill  in  pro- 
nouncing them.  For  example,  "must,"  "desk,"  "lisp," 
"send."     Give  similar  drill  upon  initial  letters. 

b.  Write  words  ending  in  "ing,"  as  "seeing,"  "going," 
"doing,"  and  have  different  pupils  pronounce  them  dis- 
tinctly. Again,  write  words  ending  in  "  ly, "  as  "  sweetly, ' ' 
"swiftly,"  "friendly,"  "badly." 

c.  Give  pupils  practice  in  pronouncing  words  that  are 
commonly  run  together  as,  "could  you,"  "did  you," 
"wants  to,"  "likes  to,"  "you  and  I,"  "had  ever,"  "found 
you,"  "wants  you." 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  #j 

d.  Send  a  pupil  to  the  corner  of  the  room  and  pro- 
nounce some  word  for  him  distinctly,  asking  him  to  make 
it  just  as  clear  in  sending  it  back  to  you.  Ask  him  why 
it  is  difficult  to  say  the  word  distinctly.  Continue  the 
exercise  with  different  pupils. 

Practice  Reading 

According  to  this  plan,  all  reading  for  drill  purposes 
is  relegated  to  word  study.  During  the  last  two  quar- 
ters, especially  during  the  last  quarter  of  the  year,  read- 
ing may  thus  be  employed  to  great  advantage.  The 
remaining  devices,  therefore,  are  for  practice  reading. 

1.  Write  sentences  on  slips  of  paper,  using  the  difficult 
words  of  the  last  lesson,  and  let  the  class  read  them. 
After  each  child  had  read  the  sentence  on  his  slip,  let 
pupils  exchange  and  read  again.  Endeavor  to  have  as 
many  different  sentences  as  there  are  members  in  the 
class,  in  order  that  pupils  may  not  commit  to  memory. 

2.  Turn  to  review  reading  lessons  in  the  book  and 
make  them  over  by  elaborating  or  omitting  ideas,  by 
changing  sequence  of  sentences,  or  by  substituting  different 
words.  Write  these  new  lessons  on  the  board  to  test 
the  reading  ability  of  pupils. 

3.  Give  drill  upon  sentences  beginning  with  especially 
troublesome  words,  such  as  "where,"  "when,"  "why," 
"which,"  "what,"  "how,"  "here,"  "there,"  "then," 
"those,"  "these." 

4.  Drill  the  class  on  action  reading,  employing  the 
following  or  similar  devices: 

a.  Write  on  the  board  miscellaneous  directions  for 
pupils  to  follow  out  in  action.  For  example,  "Run 
to  the  window."  "See  if  the  wind  is  blowing."  A 
study  of  the  vocabulary  of  her  class  will  suggest  to  any 
teacher  an  abundance  of  possible  directions. 


84  Five  Messages 

b.  Write  on  the  board  directions  that  call  for  imper- 
sonation on  the  part  of  pupils.  For  example,  "Play  you 
are  a  chicken.  Fly  to  your  coop.  Scratch  for  worms. 
Peep  like  a  chicken.  Fly  to  your  mother.  Put  your 
head  under  her  wing." 

Give  directions  for  impersonating  other  animals;  such 
as  the  frog,  the  lamb,  the  duck,  the  robin,  the  rooster. 

c.  Write  on  the  board  the  directions  for  reproducing 
the  activities  of  adults.  For  example,  setting  the  table. 
Thus— 

Bring  the  table.  Get  the  knives  and  forks. 

Bring  the  tablecloth  Get  the  spoons. 

Put  it  on  the  table.  Put  them  on  the  table. 

Let  teachers  finish  this  lesson  to  suit  themselves. 
Let  them  work  out  others,  such  as  dressing  the  doll, 
putting  her  to  bed,  going  to  market,  washing  and  ironing. 

5.  Phonetic  drill  reading.  Let  teachers  brighten  the 
phonic  exercises  by  putting  phonetic  words  into  sentence 
form.     For  example,  "A  big  frog  sat  on  a  log." 

6.  Dialogue  is  an  excellent  device  for  securing  and 
holding  the  interest  of  a  class. 

a.  Write  several  short  dialogues  on  the  board  in  such 
form  that  each  of  the  two  pupils  reading  may  have 
every  other  sentence.  Ask  two  pupils  to  try  one  of  these 
dialogues.  Next,  ask  two  others  to  try  another,  and  con- 
tinue in  this  manner  until  all  have  been  read.  Then 
begin  with  the  first  and  have  them  all  read  again  by  other 
pupils.  The  sample  dialogue  given  on  the  following  page 
will  suggest  many  others. 

b.  Copy  on  sheets  of  paper  half  as  many  dialogues 
as  there  are  pupils  in  your  class.  Make  two  copies  of 
each  and  number  the  duplicates  alike.  Give  one  copy 
to  each  in  the  class.    Call  for  "Number  1,"  telling  the 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  85 

two  pupils  who  have  this  number  to  step  to  the  front 
and  try  to  read  their  dialogue.  The  following  is  an 
example : 

Storekeeper.  How  do  you  do,  little  girl? 

Little  Girl.  How  do  you  do,  Mr.  Storekeeper? 

Storekeeper.  What  do  you  wish,  little  girl? 

Little  Girl.  I  wish  some  fruit. 

Storekeeper.  What  kind  of  fruit,  little  girl? 

Little  Girl.  What  kinds  have  you? 

Storekeeper.  I  have  oranges  and  bananas. 

Little  Girl.  Please  give  me  some  oranges. 

Storekeeper.  How  many  do  you  wish? 

Little  Girl.  I  wish  a  dozen. 

Storekeeper.  Good-by,  little  girl. 

Little  Girl.  Good-by,  Mr.  Storekeeper. 


A  Closing  Word  for  Words  as  Wholes 

1.  Teachers  should  not  endeavor  to  employ,  at  one. 
time,  too  many  of  the  devices  suggested  above.  They 
should  employ  just  enough  of  them  to  keep  the  work 
interesting  and  profitable. 

2.  No  teacher  should  use  any  of  these  exercises  merely 
because  they  are  suggested.  Only  those  that  bring 
results  should  be  continued. 

3 .  Some  of  these  devices  should  be  employed  frequently 
until  outgrown,  while  others  should  be  employed  only 
occasionally,  to  brighten  up  the  work. 

4.  Exercises  must  be  selected  and  adapted  in  such 
sequence  as  to  develop  ever-increasing  power  on  the  part 
of  pupils. 

5.  Teachers  should  select  devices  for  a  week  at  a  time, 
organizing  and  adapting  them  to  their  special  needs. 


86  Five  Messages 

II.  OUTLINES  AND  METHODS  FOR  FIRST 
GRADE  WORK  IN  PHONICS 

FOREWORD 

Aim  of  Phonic  Work 

The  aim  of  phonic  teaching  is  to  simplify  for  pupils 
the  pronunciation  and  spelling  of  words  and  to  train 
them  in  correct  enunciation.  This  aim  involves  the 
training  of  the  ear  to  distinguish  the  elemental  sounds  of 
the  language,  singly  and  in  combination;  it  involves 
the  training  of  the  eye  to  recognize  the  characters  that 
represent  these  sounds,  and  the  training  of  the  vocal 
organs  to  produce  them  correctly. 

Relation  of  Phonics  to  First-grade  Reading 

In  phonic  teaching  words  are  treated  as  sounds  and 
not  as  signs  of  ideas,  the  point  being  to  develop  necessary 
skill  in  recognizing  and  pronouncing  words  rather  than 
to  bring  out  the  thoughts  they  suggest.  This  being  the 
case,  phonic  training  comes  under  the  head  of  formal  word 
study,  not  under  that  of  reading,  and  should  be  kept 
distinct  from  the  reading.  Nevertheless,  pupils  should 
apply  whatever  phonic  knowledge  they  have  at  any  stage 
in  pronouncing  the  words  of  their  reading  lessons.  That 
is,  they  should  make  attempts  (not  guesses)  at  deciphering 
words  illustrating  phonic  points  upon  which  they  have 
been  drilled.  If  their  phonic  power  is  not  sufficient  to 
enable  them  to  pronounce  such  words  readily,  the  teacher 
or  class  should  assist  them,  thus  preventing  interruption 
of  thought.  Such  points  of  difficulty  should  then  be 
relegated  to  the  next  phonic  period  and  there  impressed 
upon  pupils. 


,' 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  87 

Limits  of  First-grade  Phonic  Work 


To  give  pupils  a  good  knowledge  of  the  phonic  make- 
up of  our  language  naturally  requires  about  three  years.,1 
It  is  unnatural,  and  therefore  unreasonable,  to  undertake 
all  this  in  the  first  year.  There  is  no  more  reason  for 
teaching  three  years  of  phonic  work  in  one  year  than  for 
teaching  three  years  of  numbers  in  one. 

The  phonic  elements  most  fundamental  to  the  English 
language,  together  with  those  most  common  to  the  first 
book  which  pupils  are  to  read,  afford  the  best  material 
in  this  line  for  first-grade  lessons. 


r 


Phonics  in  a  Nutshell 


The  idea  here  is  not  to  present  a  "phonic  system"  in 
all  its  detail  but  rather  to  emphasize  the  few  phonic 
exercises  fundamental  to  a  thorough  mastery  of  the 
phonetic  elements  common  to  the  words  of  the  first- 
grade  vocabulary.  This  scheme  may,  therefore,  be  called 
"Phonics  in  a  Nutshell." 

These  fundamental  phonic  exercises  are  only  four  in 
number,  consisting  of: 

1.  Drill  upon  certain  memory  facts. 

2.  Building  words  from  memory  facts  previously 
taught. 

3.  Teaching  the  long  and  short  vowel  sounds.  (Dur- 
ing the  second  half-year.) 

4.  Analyzing  and  pronouncing  words. 

By  grasping  the  point  of  these  fundamental  exercises 
teachers  are  much  better  prepared  to  do  effective  phonic 
teaching  than  by  committing  to  memory  the  details  of 
the  hundred  or  more  pages  of  the  most  complete  phonic 
manual  in  existence. 


88  Five  Messages 

No  Diacritical  Markings 

No  diacritical  markings  should  be  taught  in  the  first 
grade.  Pupils  have  no  need  for  a  knowledge  of  them 
until  they  begin  the  use  of  the  dictionary  in  the  fourth 
year.  They  need  not  learn  markings,  therefore,  until 
they  reach  the  third  grade.  The  sequence  of  letters  in 
any  phonetic  word,  not  the  markings,  governs  the  pro- 
nunciation of  that  word.  Therefore,  to  teach  markings 
in  the  early  lessons  is  only  to  complicate  the  work  while 
adding  nothing  vital  to  it. 

Monosyllables  Only 

Monosyllables  only  should  be  employed  in  first-grade 
phonics.  They  keep  the  work  simple  and  afford  an 
abundance  of  exercises  for  all  first-grade  purposes. 

By  sounding  the  accented  syllable  of  such  words  as 
"kitty,"  "apple,"  "yellow,"  and  "winter,"  pupils  get 
the  clew  and  have  no  difficulty  with  pronunciation. 

Exceptions  Not  Taught  as  Such 

Words  representing  exceptions  to  rules  of  phonetic 
pronunciation  should  not  be  taught  as  such.  These 
words  should  rather  be  taught  as  wholes.  A  list  of  such 
exceptions  belonging  to  the  first-grade  vocabulary  are 
given  below: 


one 

eyes 

some 

are 

full 

done 

who 

love 

word 

put 

says 

want 

was 

they 

come 

two 

live 

shall 

you 

once 

again 

To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  80 


have 

know 

where 

said 

very 

would 

what 

give 

their 

many 

four 

could 

were 

knew 

there 

does 

work 

watch 

been 

your 
Time  Required 

should 

Phonic  work  does  not  necessarily  require  a  great 
amount  of  time.  As  has  been  said  previously  in  this 
chapter,  ten  minutes  daily  during  the  first  quarter  is 
sufficient.  During  the  second  and  third  quarters  the 
time  may  be  extended  to  fifteen  minutes,  while  during 
the  fourth  quarter  twenty  minutes  daily  may  be  employed 
to  advantage.  The  time  here  suggested  insures  satis- 
factory phonic  results  for  all  ordinary  first-grade  classes 
provided 

1.  That  all  drills  be  conducted  with  animation  and 
thoroughness. 

2.  That  each  exercise  have  a  real  phonic  point. 

3.  That  all  forms  of  past  work  be  well  kept  up  by 
means  of  daily  review. 

Phonic  Knowledge  Every  Teacher  Should 
Possess 

It  is  imperative  that  every  teacher  of  this  scheme  of 
phonics  know 

1.  The  vowel  and  consonant  sounds  and  the  mark- 
ings for  the  same  as  found  in  Webster's  New  Inter- 
national Dictionary. 

2.  Equivalent  vowel  and  consonant  sounds. 


go  Five  Messages 

3.  General  rules  for  the  marking  of  letters  and  the 
pronunciation  of  words. 

4.  All  words  in  common  use  which  are  exceptions 
to  the  general  rules  of  pronunciation.  Example,  "come," 
"put,"  "rule." 

The  points  above  may  be  gained  from  a  study  of  Webster's  New 
International  Dictionary. 

Terms  Suggested  for  Use  in  Phonic  Exercises 

There  seems  to  be  no  unanimity  as  to  the  use  of  terms 
in  the  various  phonic  manuals.  One  or  more  of  the 
terms  "family,"  "phonogram,"  "key,"  "blend,"  and 
"helper"  are  suggested  in  the  best  known  manuals,  but 
usually  with  different  meanings  in  different  books.  It 
has  been  found  necessary,  therefore,  to  suggest  terms 
for  the  present  plan.  According  to  this  plan  words 
have  "family  names"  and  "first  names"  as  do  children. 
For  example,  in  the  words  "cap,"  "tap,"  "raps,"  "clap," 
and  "snaps,"  "ap"and"aps"  are  "family  names";  "c," 
"t,"  and  "r"  are  single  "first  names";  while  "cl"  and 
" sn "  are  double  "first  names."  The  family  name  is  thus 
composed  of  the  vowel  and  letter,  or  letters,  following  it. 

The  terms  "vowel"  and  "consonant"  are  employed 
when  needed.  Pupils  have  no  difficulty  in  understand- 
ing them  when  once  they  are  explained. 

Have  pupils  give  the  sounds  of  the  letters  and  place  in  a  circle 
all  those  that  let  the  voice  out  without  hindering  it.  They  thus 
segregate  the  "voice  letters"  or  vowels  from  the  consonants  and 
understand  the  destinction  between  them. 

The  word  "sound"  is  employed  as  a  verb  to  indicate 
to  pupils  that  the  teacher  wishes  them  to  pronounce 
words  phonetically.  For  example,  when  she  tells  a  pu- 
pil to  "sound  'cap',"  he  does  so  by  saying  "ap,  cap." 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  qi 

FIRST  AND  SECOND  QUARTERS 
Outline  of  Work 

i  .  Ear  and  vocal  training. 

2.  Memory  facts  as  follows: 

a.  The  single  consonants  (hard  sounds  of  "c"  and 
"g"  and  soft  sound  of  "s"). 

b.  The  following  two-letter  family  names  in  short 
a,  e,  i,  o,  and  u:  it,  ig,  og,  im,  am,  ip,  an,  at,  in,  ed,  up, 
un,  ob,  em,  om,  ot,  ap,  en,  urn,  on,  id,  et,  op,  ut,  ag,  ad, 
ab. 

3.  Word  building,  combining  the  family  names  and 
consonants  listed  above  under  "Memory  Facts." 

4.  Analysis  of  three-letter  words  containing  the  family 
names  listed  above  under  "Memory  Facts." 

Method  for  Ear  and  Vocal  Training 

The  purpose  of  ear  training  is  to  develop  in  pupils 
what  may  be  termed  a  "sense  of  phonics."  In  the  be- 
ginning it  is  to  prepare  them  for  the  consideration  of 
words  as  sounds,  and  later  to  make  their  ears  sensitive 
to  the  niceties  of  sound  as  found  in  our  language. 

1.  Give  commands  to  pupils,  pronouncing  one  word 
in  each  very  slowly,  as  "Roy,  c-ome  to  me."  Let  them 
see  how  many  can  follow  directions  thus  given. 

2.  Pronounce  very  slowly  the  names  of  objects  found 
in  the  schoolroom,  and  ask  pupils  to  find  them. 

3.  Let  the  class  go  through  the  motions  of  making 
snowballs  and,  while  doing  so,  have  some  such  conver- 
sation as  the  following:  "Let  us  pack  them  hard." 
"What  is  the  first  sound  in  'pack'?"  "With  what  do 
we  'pack'?"  Answer,  "Hands."  "What  is  the  first 
sound  in  '  hands'  ?"     This  suggests  many  similar  exercises. 


Q2  Five  Messages 

4.  Pronounce  a  word  slowly  and  ask  pupils  to  give 
the  first  sound  they  hear  in  it. 

5.  Point  to  some  familiar  object  and  ask  pupils  to 
tell  the  first  sound  they  hear  when  they  speak  its  name. 
Example,  "door,"  "bell." 

6.  Let  the  class  discover  the  first  sound  in  the  name 
of  each  pupil. 

7.  Pronounce  a  word  slowly,  and  ask  pupils  to  give 
the  last  sound  they  hear  in  it. 

8.  Pronounce  three  words,  two  of  which  have  the 
same  initial  letter,  and  ask  pupils  to  tell  which  words 
begin  with  the  same  sound. 

9.  Give  a  sound,  and  ask  pupils  to  give  words  begin- 
ning with  that  sound. 

10.  Play  a  word  ball  game  as  follows:  Let  some  child 
stand  in  the  farthest  corner  of  the  room.  Then  let  the 
teacher  throw  him  a  ball  (word)  with  her  lips.  Let  him 
throw  it  back,  taking  care  that  it  comes  all  the  way  (voice), 
and  that  it  all  comes,  not  just  part  of  it  (enunciation). 

11.  Ask  pupils  to  tell  which  two  out  of  three  words 
sound  alike:  "Game,"  "fill,"  "tame";  "run,"  "cat," 
"sun";  tell  them  that  the  words  that  sound  alike  rime. 
Give  them  practice,  thus,  in  recognizing  riming  words 
by  ear. 

12.  Let  them  give  words  to  rime  with  those  the  teacher 
gives. 

Method  for  Teaching  the  Sounds  of 
Single  Consonants 

1.  In  presenting  the  consonants  write  on  the  board 
familiar  words,  a  few  of  which  have  the  same  initial 
consonant;  pronounce  the  words  slowly,  asking  pupils  to 
listen  and  to  discover,  by  ear,  without  looking,  which 
words  begin  with  a  certain  sound;  call  attention  to  the 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  03 

written  form  of  the  letter  representing  this  sound ;  finally, 
let  pupils  point  to  all  the  words  beginning  with  this 
letter  and  give  the  corresponding  sound. 

In  this  manner  introduce  all  the  consonants  as  pupils 
are  ready  to  take  them  up.  The  previous  ear  and  vocal 
training  should  make  this  an  easy  step. 

Let  teachers  begin  with  a  few  consonants  and  have  the  number 
grow  slowly  but  surely.  They  should  not  vary  their  devices  for 
drill  so  frequently  as  to  confuse  pupils,  but  should  have  enough 
variety  to  make  every  exercise  bright  and  interesting.  They 
should  see  that  the  pure  sound  of  each  consonant  is  given, 
not  allowing  vowel  sounds  to  contaminate.  For  example,  "d," 
not  "du." 

2.  Drills  for  impressing  the  consonants  may  be  con- 
ducted as  follows: 

a.  Exercises  with  cards: 

Make  daily  use  of  tagboard  cards  cut  6"  x  6";  letters 
written  upon  them  by  means  of  a  rubber  pen  or  the  rubber 
end  of  a  lead  pencil.  (Tagboard  may  be  obtained  at 
slight  cost  at  any  printing  office.) 

Employ  the  card  exercises  suggested  for  "Words  as 
Wholes,"  p.  71.  Nothing  brings  better  results  than  card 
exercises  when  properly  conducted.  They  should  be 
employed  daily. 

b.  Exercises  from  the  blackboard: 

Most  of  the  blackboard  devices  given  for  "Words  as 
Wholes"  may  easily  be  adapted  for  impressing  the  sounds. 
Other  suggestions  follow. 

(1)  Write  the  consonants  on  the  board  at  random  and 
have  the  class  sound  each  as  it  is  written.  Then  point 
to  the  different  letters  and  have  the  class  sound;  or  let 
the  class  underline  or  erase  letters  as  the  teacher  sounds 
them;  or  let  her  erase  letters  and  have  the  class  sound. 


94  Five  Messages 

(2)  Write  the  consonants  at  the  top  of  the  board  in 
the  form  of  a  border  to  be  used  in  various  quick  drills. 
Let  one  child  take  the  pointer,  pass  to  the  board,  and 
sound  the  letters  in  order  until  he  hesitates.  Then  call 
upon  some  one  else  to  continue. 

(3)  Let  the  teacher  pronounce  a  word  distinctly  and 
ask  pupils  to  point  to  the  letter  that  represents  any 
sound  they  heard  in  it. 

(4)  Place  a  list  of  familiar  words  upon  the  board  and 
ask  pupils  to  find  a  word  that  begins  with  a  certain 
sound  which  she  gives ;  to  find  one  that  ends  with  a  sound 
she  gives;  to  point  to  words  that  contain  letters  they 
can  sound. 

(5)  Place  a  list  of  several  unfamiliar  words  on  the 
board,  no  two  beginning  with  the  same  letter.  Let  the 
teacher  pronounce  the  words  slowly  and  clearly,  and  ask 
pupils  to  try  to  find  them,  thus  applying  their  knowledge 
of  the  sounds  of  initial  letters. 

(6)  Write  a  letter  on  the  board,  telling  pupils  it  is  the 
first  letter  of  some  important  word  in  the  last  reading 
lesson  and  ask  them  to  try  to  think  what  it  may  be. 

Pupils  may  be  given  six  or  eight  weeks  for  learning  the 
sounds  of  the  consonants.  After  this  they  should  begin 
to  learn  the  family  names. 

Method  for  Teaching  the  Two-letter,  Short-vowel 

Family  Names 

1.  In  presenting  these  names  write  on  the  board  the 
word  "Ben,"  for  example,  and  ask  pupils  to  give  words 
that  rime  with  it  (as  "men,"  "ten,"  "hen").  Ask  them 
to  listen  as  some  one  pronounces  these  words  and  try  to 
discover,  by  ear,  the  part  that  sounds  the  same  in  each. 
If  previous  ear  training  has  been  thorough,  pupils  will 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  Q5 

do  this  readily.  Now,  write  these  words  under  "Ben" 
and  have  pupils  discover,  by  eye,  the  part  that  looks  the 
same,  and  underline  it  in  each  word. 

At  this  point,  suggest  the  term  family  name  for  "en," 
and  first  name  for  each  of  the  letters,  "B,"  "m,"  "t," 
"h."  Compare  the  words  thus  made  with  the  names  of 
children,  as  — 

Nora  Smith  Edna  Smith 

Henry  Smith  Willie  Smith 

Here  also  the  family  name  is  the  same,  but  the  first 
name  is  different  in  each  case. 

In  the  same  manner,  gradually  present  the  two-letter, 
short-vowel  family  names  given  in  the  outline  on  p.  91. 

2.  Drills  for  impressing  the  family  names  may  be 
conducted  as  follows :  After  each  family  name  is  presented, 
place  it  on  a  card,  also  on  the  board,  with  the  consonants 
and  bring  it  into  the  drills  as  suggested  above  for  con- 
sonants. Have  pupils  say  "en"  when  the  teacher  holds 
up  the  corresponding  card  just  as  they  sound  "t"  when 
she  holds  up  that  card.  These  family  names  should 
receive  daily  drill  until  made  as  familiar  to  pupils  as  are 
the  consonant  sounds.  Constantly  review  consonant 
sounds  while  teaching  the  family  names. 

Method  for  Teaching  Pupils  to  Build  and 

Pronounce  Words 

About  the  middle  of  the  second  month  of  school,  after 

the  sounds  of  the  consonants  are  fairly  faml  lar  to  pupils, 

and  after  a  few  of  the  family  names  have  been  taught, 

let  pupils  begin  to  build  words. 

1.  Let  the  teacher  write  on  the  board  some  familiar 
family  name,  asking  pupils  to  give  it.  Then  let  her 
quickly  place  before  it  some  consonant  and  ask  pupils  to 


q6  Five  Messages 

pronounce  the  word  thus  built.  In  a  similar  manner 
build  a  dozen  or  more  words  daily  after  beginning  this 
exercise. 

2.  Let  the  teacher  hold  up  a  card  on  which  is  written 
a  familiar  family  name  and  have  pupils  give  it.  Let  her 
quickly  place  before  it  another  card  on  which  is  written 
a  consonant  and  have  pupils  pronounce  the  word  thus 
built.  In  a  similar  manner  build  a  dozen  or  more  words 
daily  after  beginning  this  exercise. 

The  foregoing  exercises  may  be  varied  by  writing  a 
family  name  on  the  board  and  holding  before  it  a  card 
containing  a  consonant ;  or  by  holding  up  a  card  contain- 
ing a  family  name  and  giving  the  consonant  sound  orally 
for  pupils  to  combine  with  the  family  name  and  pro- 
nounce the  word  thus  built. 

3.  Place  five  or  six  duplicates  of  some  family  name  on 
the  board,  "ill,"  for  example.  Ask  pupils  how  they  can 
make  "mill."  Pupils  answer,  "By  placing  'm'  (giving 
the  sound,  not  name,  of  letter)  before  'ill.'"  Ask  how 
they  can  change  it  to  "fill,"  and  so  on. 

4.  Place  a  family  name  on  the  board.  Draw  about 
ten  lines  radiating  from  this  to  the  left.  At  the  end  of 
each  line  write  a  consonant.  Point  to  those  consonants 
that  combine  with  this  family  name  to  make  words  and 
have  pupils  pronounce  the  words  thus  built.  When  all 
possible  combinations  have  been  made,  write  a  second 
family  name  in  the  place  of  the  first  one  and  have  pupils 
pronounce  all  possible  new  words. 

Teachers  should  combine  only  those  family  names 
and  consonants  that  make  words  belonging  to  the  first- 
grade  vocabulary.  They  should  never  ask  children  to 
pronounce  combinations  that  do  not  make  words ;  neither 
should  they  ask  them  to  pronounce  words  which  pupils 
do  not  understand. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  gy 

Method  for  Teaching  Pupils  to  Analyze  the  Three- 
letter  Words  Listed 

i.  Let  the  teacher  sound  words  written  on  the  board, 
having  pupils  touch  the  family  name  in  each  as  she  gives  it. 
For  example,  the  teacher  says,  "at,  cat."  Let  some  pupil 
touch  "at"  as  the  teacher  slowly  gives  this  family  name. 

2.  Let  the  teacher  write  words  on  the  board  and  draw 
lines  under  the  family  names,  first  helping  pupils  to 
analyze  and  then  asking  them  to  sound  words.  They 
sound  by  saying,  for  example,  "ag,  bag,"  or  "un,  sun." 

3.  Let  the  teacher  write  a  family  name  on  the  front 
board  and  another  on  the  side  board.  Let  her  distribute 
among  the  pupils  several  word  cards,  part  containing 
one  and  part  the  other  of  these  family  names.  At  a 
signal,  let  pupils  having  words  containing  the  family 
name  written  on  the  front  board,  run  up  to  the  front; 
likewise,  the  others  run  to  the  side  board.  Before  giving 
his  card  to  the  teacher  and  running  to  his  seat,  let  each 
child  hold  it  before  the  school,  and  sound  the  word  on  it. 
For  example,  let  him  say  "op,  top." 

4.  Sometimes  when  asking  pupils  to  sound  words  dur- 
ing the  early  stages,  let  the  teacher  hold  under  the  family 
name  of  each  word  a  card  on  which  is  written  a  duplicate 
of  the  family  name  in  the  word.  This  is  but  another 
way  of  helping  pupils  analyze  words. 

5.  Call  about  three  pupils  to  the  front,  giving  each  a 
card  on  which  is  written  a  family  name.  Give  word 
cards  to  pupils  in  the  seats.  At  a  signal  from  the  teacher, 
let  one  of  the  pupils  at  the  front  give  the  family  name  on 
his  card,  and  let  all  pupils  who  have  words  containing 
this  family  name  run  up  and  surround  him.  Before 
taking  his  seat,  have  each  child  sound  his  word.  Repeat 
the  signal  for  the  other  two  in  front. 


q8  Five  Messages 

6.  Write  promiscuously  upon  the  board,  words  repre- 
senting different  family  names.  Give  pupils  much 
practice  in  telling  those  family  names  they  know.  For 
example,  "I  know  'og'  in  'dog.'"     "I  know  'in'  in  'tin.'  " 

7.  Give  pupils  much  drill  in  underlining  and  telling 
family  names  in  words  written  on  the  board  and  then 
in  pronouncing  the  words. 

The  sooner  pupils  reach  the  stage  in  which  they  can 
go  through  this  exercise  correctly  and  quickly,  the  better. 


THIRD  AND  FOURTH  QUARTERS 
Outline  and  Method  Combined 

The  material  here  given  is  divided  into  four  groups. 
To  each  of  these  groups  every  first-grade  teacher  should 
devote  five  minutes  daily.  Pupils  gain  phonic  power  by 
means  of  quick,  animated  drills  of  an  extensive  nature 
more  rapidly  than  by  more  intensive  and  seemingly  more 
thoroughgoing  exercises.  Teachers  who  cannot  devote 
twenty  minutes  daily  to  phonics  should  devote  at  least 
ten,  covering  in  two  days  the  work  here  suggested  for 
one  day. 

Group  I 

Teach  the  following  phonic  elements  as  memory  facts: 

Family  names:  ack,  eck,  ick,  ock,  uck;  ang,  ing,  ong, 
ung;  ank,  ink,  unk;  all,  ell,  ill;  ar,  er,  ir,  or,  ur. 

Vowel  equivalents  and  diphthongs:  ay,  ai,  ee,  oa,  ea 
(long  and  short),  00  (long  and  short),  oi,  oy,  ou,  ow. 

Double  consonants:  bl,  br,  cl,  cr,  dr,  fl,  fr,  gl,  gr,  pi,  pr, 
sk,  si,  sm,  sn,  sp,  st,  tr,  sh,  ch,  wh,  and  th  (hard  and  soft). 

Introduce  these  phonic  elements  while  helping  pupils 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  qq 

analyze  familiar  words  containing  them.  For  example, 
introduce  "th"  and  "ir"  by  helping  pupils  find  the  first 
name  and  the  small  family  name  in  the  known  word 
"third." 

The  family  names  given  in  the  phonic  outline  for  the 
first  and  second  grades  should  be  included  with  the 
material  for  this  group.  They  should  be  reviewed  just 
often  enough  to  keep  pupils  thoroughly  familiar  with 
them. 

Place  the  phonic  elements  indicated  above  on  the 
blackboard,  also  on  cardboard  cut  6"x6"  (one  on  each 
square),  and  drill  upon  them  as  follows: 

i.  In  the  beginning  point  to  each  phonic  element 
on  the  board,  or  hold  up  one  card  after  another,  and 
give  the  appropriate  sound  or  pronunciation,  having 
pupils  look  and  listen.  In  this  manner  cover  the  material 
of  Group  I  three  or  four  times  daily  during  the  five 
minutes  allotted  to  this  work. 

2.  Later,  sound  or  pronounce  each  phonic  element 
of  the  list,  having  pupils  repeat  each  immediately  after- 
ward. 

3.  Still  later,  devote  five  minutes  to  concert  recitation 
by  pupils.  Continue  this  until  the  class  has  power  to 
recite  the  whole  list  in  any  order. 

4.  Begin  the  individual  work  as  soon  as  possible, 
sometimes  calling  upon  a  different  pupil  for  each  sound 
or  pronunciation,  and  sometimes  allowing  one  to  recite 
until  he  makes  a  mistake,  when  another  should  be  given 
a  like  trial. 

After  every*  individual  in  the  class  has  become  able  to 
give  all  of  these  memory  facts  in  blackboard  and  card 
drills,  two  minutes  daily  is  sufficient  to  keep  up  review 
of  this  group.  The  other  three  minutes  should  then  be 
given  to  Group  IV. 


ioo  Five  Messages 

Group  II 

Build  family  names  and  words  from  familiar  phonic 
elements. 

Let  the  teacher  write  "en"  upon  the  board,  having 
pupils  pronounce,  and  then  add  "t,"  evolving  "ent," 
and  have  pupils  pronounce;  let  her  add  "t"  to  "oa," 
evolving  "oat"  for  pupils  to  pronounce,  then  place  "c" 
before  "oat,"  evolving  "coat"  for  pupils  to  pronounce. 

Five  minutes  daily  should  be  devoted  to  this  class  of 
work  until  pupils  have  mastered  the  words  listed  below 
for  Group  II.  After  that,  let  teachers  give  two  minutes 
daily  to  this  group  and  the  remaining  three  minutes  to 
Group  IV. 

i.  According  to  the  method  suggested  above,  help 
pupils  build  words  from  vowel  equivalents  and  diph- 
thongs listed  in  Group  I  as  follows: 

From  "ay" — day,  hay,  lay,  may,  pay,  say,  way,  dray, 
play,  pray,  stay. 

From  "ai" — aid,  paid,  laid,  maid,  afraid,  braid;  ail, 
fail,  hail,  mail,  nail,  pail,  rail,  sail,  tail;  ain,  gain,  pain, 
rain,  brain,  stain,  plain,  grain,  chain,  dainty;  aise,  raise; 
ait,  wait;  aint,  paint. 

From  "ee" — bee,  see,  wee,  free,  tree,  three;  eed,  feed, 
need,  seed,  weed;  eek,  peek,  cheek;  eel,  feel,  heel,  peel; 
eem,  seem;  een,  seen,  queen;  eep,  deep,  keep,  peep, 
weep,  sheep,  steep,  sleep,  sweep;  eer,  queer;  eet,  beet, 
feet,  sleet,  sheet,  sweet;  eeth,  teeth. 

From  "oa" —  oad,  load,  road,  toad;  oaf,  loaf;  oam, 
loam;  oan,  loan,  moan;  oap,  soap;  oar,  roar;  oard, 
board;  oat,  boat,  goat,  float. 

From  "ea"  long — tea;  each,  reach,  teach;  ead,  bead, 
read;  eaf,  leaf;  eak,  leak,  weak,  speak,  squeak;  earn, 
cream,  stream;  ean,  clean,  mean;  eap,  leap,  reap,  cheap; 


To  Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         101 

ear,  dear,  hear,  near,  tear,  year;  ease,  please,  tease; 
eat,  beat,  heat,  meat,  neat,  seat;  eave,  leave,  weave. 

From  "ea"  short  —  ead,  head,  bread,  tread,  thread, 
spread,  ready;  eant,  meant;  eath,  feathers. 

From  "oo"  short — ood,  good,  hood,  wood,  stood;  ook, 
book,  cook,  look,  took,  brook,  shook. 

From  "oo"  long  —  too;  ood,  food;  ool,  cool,  school; 
oom,  room,  broom;  oon,  moon,  noon,  soon,  spoon;  oop, 
hoop,  droop,  stoop;  oose,  goose;  oot,  hoot;  oor,  poor. 

From  "oi" —  oice,  voice;  oil,  boil,  soil,  spoil;  oist, 
moist;  oint,  point,  joint;  oise,  noise. 

From  "oy" — boy,  joy,  Roy,  toy. 

From  "ou" — oud,  loud,  proud,  cloud;  ounce,  pounce; 
ound,  found,  round,  sound,  ground;  ount,  count;  our, 
flour;  ouse,  house,  mouse;  out,  shout,  stout,  trout, 
about,  sprout;  outh,  mouth. 

From  "ow"  having  sound  of  "ou" — bow,  cow,  how, 
now,  brow,  crowd,  owl,  growl,  brown,  down,  plow,  town. 

From  "ow"  having  sound  of  long  "o" — bow,  low,  mow, 
row,  sow,  blow,  grow,  flow,  know,  slow,  show,  snow,  bowl, 
own. 

Introduce  variety  in  order  of  family  names  as  soon  as 
possible.  Example,  "coat,"  "rain,"  "seed," —  rather 
than  "seed,"  "need,"  "feed." 

2.  Review  the  two-letter  short -vowel  family  names 
by  adding  "s"  to  each.  Example,  place  "ip"  on  the 
board,  having  pupil  pronounce,  then  add  "s,"  evolving 
"ips"  for  them  to  pronounce. 

3.  Help  pupils  build  words  from  the  family  names  in 
Group  I  as  follows : 

back,  Jack,  pack,  rack,  sack,  tack,  black,  crack,  stack; 
neck,  peck,  check,  speck;  pick,  sick,  tick,  wick,  brick, 
stick,  quick,  pickles;  lock,  rock,  shock,  flock,  pocket; 
duck,  luck. 


102  Five  Messages 

bang,  hang,  rang,  sang,  sprang;  king,  ring,  sing,  bring, 
sting,  swing,  spring;  long,  song,  strong;  hung,  rung, 
sung,  stung,  strung. 

bank,  sank,  tank,  drank,  thank ;  pink,  sink,  wink,  drink, 
think;  trunk. 

all,  ball,  call,  fall,  hall,  tall,  wall,  small;  bell,  fell, 
sell,  tell,  well,  spell,  smell,  swell,  shell;  bill,  fill,  hill, 
kill,  pill,  still,  chill. 

car,  far,  jar,  star,  scar,  March,  card,  hard,  lard,  garden, 
large,  dark,  mark,  park,  arm,  harm,  sharp,  cart,  part, 
tart,  start,  party,  marbles,  parlor. 

her,  fern,  serve;  bird,  third,  girl,  whirl,  first,  dirt, 
birthday;  for,  fork,  form,  corn,  north,  short;  fur,  pur, 
curl,  burn,  turn,  churn,  hurt,  burst,  hurry,  turkey. 

Introduce  variety  in  order  of  family  names  as  soon  as 
possible. 

In  addition  to  words  listed  above,  teachers  should 
help  pupils  build  such  other  phonetic  words  as  occur  in 
book  or  board  reading  lessons.  Example,  "el,"  "elp," 
"help";  "il,"  "ilk,"  "silk";  "un,"  "unch,"  "lunch." 

Group  III 
Develop  a  knowledge  of  and  teach  the  short  and  long  vowels. 

i.  Write  on  the  board  pairs  of  familiar  words  like — 
am,  came;  fed,  feed;  him,  time;  it,  white;  from,  home; 
cut,  cute.  Let  pupils  underline  the  family  names  in  each 
pair  and  pronounce.  Then  let  them  give  the  sound  of 
the  first  letter  of  each  family  name,  thus  bringing  out  the 
long  and  the  short  sounds  of  the  vowels.  Tell  pupils 
the  names  of  the  sounds  as  given.  Example,  "You 
have  just  given  the  long  sound  of  'i.'"  Continue  this 
until  the  sounds  and  their  names  are  clearly  distinguished. 

2.  Give  pupils  drill  in  reciting  the  long  and  short 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         ioj 

sounds  of  vowels  as  the  teacher  points  to  the  unmarked 
letters  written  on  the  board,  or  holds  up  cards  contain- 
ing them.  Example,  "Give  the  short  sound  of  each 
letter  to  which  I  point;  the  long  sound." 

3.  Give  vowel  sounds  and  have  pupils  name  them. 
For  example,  have  a  pupil  say,  "You  gave  the  short 
sound  of  'o.'  " 

4.  Pronounce  words  containing  short  vowels,  also  words 
containing  long  vowels,  and  have  pupils  tell  what  vowel 
sound  they  hear  in  each. 

5.  Have  pupils  compare  "am"  and  "ame,"  "im"  and 
"ime,"  "om"  and  "ome,"  and  tell  the  difference.  Final 
"e"  may  be  called  a  fairy  that  can  change  "am"  to  "ame." 

6.  Give  regular  drills  on  the  long  family  names  listed 
below,  together  with  short  family  names  previously 
taught.  Use  the  card  and  blackboard  devices  suggested 
for  first  and  second  quarters.  Do  not  make  final  "e" 
a  matter  of  discussion  but,  rather,  one  of  drill.  Have 
pupils  say  "am"  and  "ame,"  as  they  drill  upon  these 
unmarked  family  names,  as  if  each  were  only  a  simple 
sound. 

Continue  drill  until  pupils  can  recognize  instantly,  in  any 
order,  and  pronounce  the  long  family  names  given  below : 

abe,  ace,  ade,  afe,  age,  ake,  ale,  ame,  ane,  ange,  ase, 
aste,  ate,  ave;  eed,  eef,  eek,  eel,  eem,  een,  eep,  eet,  eer; 
ice,  ide,  ife,  ike,  ile,  ime,  ine,  ipe,  ire,  ite,  ive,  ize;  oke, 
ole,  ome,  one,  ope,  ore,  ose,  ote,  ove;  ube,  une,  ure,  use, 
ute;  ew. 

Group  IV 

Have  pupils  analyze  words  phonetically  and  pronounce 
them. 

All  of  the  exercises  in  Groups  I,  II,  and  III  are  to  the 
end  that  pupils  may  gain  power  for  the  work  of  Group  IV. 


104  Five  Messages 

Let  the  exercises  be  so  spirited  that  much  ground 
may  be  covered  daily  in  the  five  minutes  devoted  to 
this  work. 

i.  Write  words  promiscuously  on  the  board  and  ask 
pupils  to  pronounce  the  family  names  they  know.  For 
example,  a  pupil  says,  "I  know  'et'  in  'pet.'  "  Another 
says,  "I  know  'eep'  in  'sheep.'  " 

2.  Place  on  the  board  monosyllables  containing  the 
phonic  elements  suggested  in  Groups  I  and  III  and  give 
pupils  much  practice  in  underlining  family  names  quickly 
and  then  sounding  words.  For  example,  in  sounding 
the  word  "coat"  have  pupils  underline  "oat"  and  pro- 
nounce it,  then,  without  sounding  "c"  separately,  pro- 
nounce the  whole  word. 

3.  During  the  last  quarter  of  the  year,  sooner  if  pupils 
have  power,  lead  them  to  pronounce  words  without  first 
sounding  aloud  by  directing  them  as  follows : 

a.  "Look  at  the  family  name  in  this  word  and  think 
it;  the  first  name  and  think  it;  think  the  whole  word; 
now  pronounce  it." 

Tell  the  pupils  this  is  the  way  to  study  words.  Later, 
when  they  have  gained  power  thus  to  study,  direct  them 
as  follows: 

b.  " Study  this  word ;  pronounce  it." 

Until  pupils  have  power  thus  silently  to  analyze  and 
pronounce  most  phonetic  words  common  to  first-grade 
vocabularies,  they  have  not  gained  the  goal  of  first- 
grade  phonic  work. 

According  to  methods  suggested  above,  have  pupils 
phonetically  analyze  words  belonging  to  the  following 
groups : 

1.  Monosyllables  containing  two-letter  family  names 
having  short  vowels.     Example,  "ran,"  "top." 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         10$ 

2.  Monosyllables  containing  the  family  names,  vowel 
equivalents,  diphthongs,  and  double  consonants  given  in 
Group  I. 

3.  Monosyllables  containing  final  "e." 

4.  Words  easily  deciphered  by  pupils  through  appli- 
cation of  phonic  power,  such  as  the  following: 


answered 

dasher 

pumpkin 

began 

dinner 

Saturday 

begin 

doctor 

scamper 

better 

dollar 

sister 

bitten 

ever 

slipper 

bottom 

finish 

standing 

bulbs 

kittens 

under 

bump 

lesson 

velvet 

butter 

lumber 

visit 

candle 

manners 

wagon 

crept 

mittens 

whiskers 

cunning 

nodding 

whispered 

daffodil 

powder 

winter 

Application  of  Phonics  to  Reading 

Devices  to  be  used  during  the  phonic  period  preceding 
any  reading  lesson: 

1 .  Select  from  the  book  and  place  on  the  board  words 
which  contain  familiar  family  names,  underlining  family 
names,  then  have  pupils  sound  and  pronounce  words. 

2.  Place  on  the  board  the  familiar  family  names  found 
in  the  words  of  the  lesson,  and  have  the  pupils  find  the 
words  in  the  book  containing  each  and  pronounce  them. 

3.  Have  pupils  look  at  the  book  and  tell  the  family 
names  they  recognize,  then  sound  the  words  containing 
them. 

4.  Have  pupils  find  all  possible  family  names  that 


106  Five  Messages 

have  "a"  for  the  vowel,  and  then  sound  the  words  con- 
taining them;  also  "e,"  "i,"  "o,"  and  "u." 

5.  Have  pupils  find  and  pronounce  the  small  family 
names  in  words.  Example,  "ar"  in  "park";  "es"  in 
"best";  "il"  in  "milk." 

6.  Have  pupils  find  all  possible  long  family  names  in  a 
lesson  and  describe  their  location.  Example,  "I  find 
'ake'  in  the  third  word  of  the  second  sentence." 

7.  After  pupils  learn  to  distinguish  between  long  and 
short  vowels,  help  them  decipher  irregular  words  by 
telling  them  the  name  of  the  vowel  sound.  Example, 
"The  vowel  sound  in  that  word  is  that  of  short  'u.'" 
Pupils  sound  "touch." 

8.  Usually  have  pupils  sound  only  the  accented  sylla- 
bles in  words  of  more  than  one  syllable.  This,  together 
with  the  context,  will  give  them  a  clew  to  the  pronuncia- 
tion of  most  dissyllables  used  in  First  Readers. 

Phonic  work  appropriate  to  a  reading  lesson: 

The  quick  sounding  of  words  is  the  only  phase  of  phonics 
that  should  ever  enter  the  reading  recitation.  All  drill 
upon  unfamiliar  phonic  elements  should  be  relegated  to 
phonic  periods.  Pupils  can,  however,  decipher  quickly 
many  of  the  words  of  a  reading  lesson  with  slight  helps 
from  the  teacher,  such  as : 

1.  "Give  the  family  name  in  that  word;  the  first 
name;  now  sound  the  word. 

2.  "What  is  the  part  of  the  word  you  do  not  know?" 

3.  "The  small  family  name  in  that  word  is  'ur';  build 
the  larger  family  name."  The  child  builds  "urt"  and 
sounds  the  word  "hurt." 

4.  "You  know  this  word."  (Writes  "good.")  "  What 
is  this  word?"  (Substitutes  "h"  for  "g.")  The  child 
pronounces  "hood." 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         ioy 

5.  "The  'a'  in  that  word  is  long.  What  is  the  family 
name;  the  word?" 

When  pupils  encounter  unfamiliar  words  containing 
"ea"  have  them  decide  in  each  case  whether  the  "e"  is 
short  or  long  by  the  meaning  of  the  sentence  in  which  it 
is  found.     Do  the  same  with  "ow"  and  "oo"  words. 

As  pupils  encounter  words  in  which  "c"  has  the  sound 
of  "s,"  or  "g"  the  sound  of  "j,"  or  "s"  the  sound  of  "z," 
call  attention  to  these  consonant  equivalents  whenever 
necessary  and  have  the  pupils  sound  the  words. 

A  Closing  Word  for  Phonics 

We  have  endeavored  to  impress  the  fact  that  all  phonic 
drill  is  to  the  end  that  pupils  may  acquire  a  key  to  pro- 
nunciation for  use  in  reading.  Let  teachers  be  quick, 
therefore,  to  utilize  opportunities  for  the  application  of 
phonic  power  to  reading  lessons  without  interrupting 
the  thought. 

If  directions  have  been  followed  carefully,  pupils  wall 
be  able  at  this  stage  to  pronounce  most  phonetic  mono- 
syllables common  to  ordinary  first  readers. 

III.  SPELLING 

Suggestions  for  the  earliest  steps  in  spelling  or  for  words 
considered  as  to  the  sequence  of  letters  composing  them. 

Visualization 

Visualization  should  be  employed  from  the  beginning. 
In  this,  the  teacher  should  write  a  word  upon  the  black- 
board in  large,  easy  handwriting;  should  assist  pupils 
in  concentrating  their  attention  upon  its  form;  should 
then  erase  and  have  pupils  reproduce  the  word  in  a  large, 
easy  hand.     During  the  first  three  quarters  of  the  year 


108  Five  Messages 

the  reproduction  should  be  entirely  upon  the  blackboard, 
but  during  the  last  quarter  upon  paper  as  well.  When 
paper  is  used  for  this  purpose  pupils  should  write  with 
soft  broad  pencils.  In  either  case,  the  writing  should 
be  large  and  free.  Not  more  than  one  word  should  be 
attempted  at  first.  Gradually,  pupils  will  grow  in  power 
until  they  can  reproduce  several  words  during  an  exer- 
cise. Not  more  than  two  or  three  minutes  should  be 
given  to  visualization  at  first,  but  this  may  gradually 
be  increased  to  ten  minutes. 

Let  teachers  see  to  it  that  pupils  form  letters  correctly, 
not  starting  at  the  wrong  point  nor  moving  the  hand  in 
the  wrong  direction. 

Oral  Spelling 

There  should  be  no  oral  spelling  in  the  first  grade  until 
the  last  quarter,  and  only  a  very  little  of  it  then.  Its 
purpose  here  is  merely  to  fix  the  names  of  letters  in  the 
minds  of  pupils  and  to  serve  as  a  slight  preparation  for 
the  regular  spelling  exercises  of  the  second  grade. 

i.  Let  pupils  pronounce  the  words  of  the  regular  word- 
study  exercises,  then  name  their  letters  in  order  as  they 
look  at  them. 

2.  Let  pupils  visualize  words;  then,  with  closed  eyes, 
name  their  letters.  If  they  cannot  remember  them,  let 
them  look  again. 

3.  Let  the  teacher  spell  words  and  the  pupils  write 
them. 

4.  Let  pupils  spell  some  of  the  easy  phonic  families; 
examples,  "at,"  "ed,"  "in,"  "og,"  "up,"  "ack,"  "ink," 
"ong." 

5.  Let  pupils  build  and  spell  words  from  phonic  families. 
For  example,  let  the  teacher  point  to  "at."     Let  pupils 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         ioq 

think  of  words  that  belong  to  this  family  and  spell  them, 
as  r-a-t,  c-a-t,  m-a-t. 

A   CLOSING  WORD 

Let  the  following  observations  serve  as  a  closing  word 
for  this  chapter : 

By  comparing  the  word-study  devices  for  the  beginning 
of  the  first  quarter,  it  will  be  discovered  that  much 
progress  is  suggested  during  the  course  of  the  year. 

While  the  material  suggested  above  is  very  important, 
and  thoroughly  to  be  mastered,  the  most  distinctive 
feature  of  this  chapter  is  found  in  the  fact  that  it  is 
intended  ever  to  be  kept  secondary  to  the  end  for  which 
it  exists — the  unlocking  of  the  thought  of  the  printed  page. 


MESSAGE   FOUR 

SEAT  WORK  AS  RELATED  TO  READING  AND 
WORD  STUDY 

INTRODUCTION 

TT  IS  essential  to  the  success  of  all  first-grade  work 
that  pupils  be  provided  with  profitable  occupation 
for  seat  periods.  It  is  especially  essential  to  success  in 
reading  that  they  be  provided  regularly  with  related  seat 
work  made  constantly  more  difficult  as  they  grow  in  power. 
Beginning  first-grade  classes  may  represent  any  one 
of  the  following  types :  immature  pupils;  average  pupils; 
mature  pupils.  Each  teacher  is,  therefore,  under  the 
necessity  of  providing  her  class  with  seat  work  in  accord- 
ance with  the  type  to  which  they  belong. 

Educational  Features  Twofold 

The  educational  features  of  seat  work  are  twofold; 
those  relating  to  the  manipulation  of  materials,  and  those 
of  a  more  strictly  mental  type. 

Manipulation  of  Materials 

The  manipulation  of  materials  always  claims  first 
attention.  During  the  first  quarter  it  is  necessary  for 
the  teacher  to  take  five  minutes  of  every  seat  period 
teaching  pupils  how  to  go  about  the  work,  and  giving 
them  power  to  pursue  future  exercises  independently. 
During  the  entire  year,  when  giving  pupils  a  new  form  of 
seat  work,  it  is  necessary  for  the  teacher  to  spend  a  period 
teaching  them  how  to  do  it. 

no 


To    Teachers  of  Primary   Reading         m 

Mental  Features 

The  "mental"  features  of  seat  work,  as  distinguished 
from  the  "muscular,"  are  often  overlooked.  In  cases 
where  this  is  true,  exercises  represent  nothing  more  than 
"busy  work,"  and  are  unworthy  of  skillful  teachers. 

Seat  Work  Must  Represent  Progress 

Seat  work  must  represent  progress.  The  devices  used 
each  week  should  be  a  trifle  more  difficult  than  those  of 
the  preceding  week,  and  should  be  kept  up  to  date,  thus 
paralleling  subjects  taught. 

Careful  Assignments 

Careful  assignments  of  seat  work  should  be  made. 
Teachers  should  see  to  it  that  pupils  not  only  know  what 
they  are  to  do,  but  that  they  grasp  the  point  of  each 
exercise  before  undertaking  it.  For  example,  when  a 
list  of  words  is  involved,  let  the  teacher  call  upon  the  class 
to  pronounce  it  before  setting  them  to  work. 

Inspection  of  Finished  Work 

All  seat  work  should  be  inspected  when  finished.  The 
first  few  exercises  with  a  new  device  require  more  care- 
ful inspection  than  do  later  ones.  Teachers  should  keep 
in  mind  the  particular  point  in  each  exercise  that  is  most 
difficult  for  pupils,  and  should  be  able  to  tell  at  a  glance 
if  the  class,  as  a  whole,  has  accomplished  it.  Allowing 
an  extra  moment  for  the  work  of  slow  pupils,  the  ordi- 
nary inspection  need  not  cover  more  than  two  or  three 
minutes.  In  most  classes  there  are  a  few  quick  pupils 
who  can  quietly  assist  the  slow  ones  after  completing 


H2  Five  Messages 

their  own  work.     In  rural  schools  the  older  pupils  can 
easily  inspect  the  seat  work  of  the  little  ones. 

Pupils  Held  to  Tasks  Assigned 

Pupils  should  be  made  to  feel  the  importance  of  seat 
occupation  by  being  held  to  all  tasks  assigned.  This  fact 
suggests  to  teachers  the  necessity  of  always  assigning 
possible  tasks  and,  as  said  above,  of  inspecting  all  work 
when  finished. 

Management  of  Material 

Much  depends  upon  the  teacher's  management  of 
material.  The  seat-work  period  may  be  conducive  to 
the  smoothest  possible  running  of  school  affairs,  or  it 
may  be  the  signal  for  general  disorder.  Material  for 
every  seat  period  should  be  ready  and  close  at  hand  at 
the  opening  of  each  session.  In  rural  schools  the  older 
pupils  may  have  entire  charge  of  such  material. 

Work  to  Fill  Entire  Periods 

Teachers  should  plan  enough  work  to  occupy  pupils 
throughout  entire  periods.  Extra  kinds  or  quantities 
should  be  given  regularly  to  those  "quick"  pupils  who 
are  sure  to  finish  before  others  and,  then,  to  cause  dis- 
turbance if  not  employed. 

The  Training  of  Monitors 

Monitors  should  be  trained  to  distribute  and  take  up 
each  variety  without  assistance.  Teachers  should  pro- 
vide against  interruptions  and  emergencies  by  having 
pupils  understand  what  else  to  do  if,  for  any  reason, 
they  cannot  do  the  work  assigned. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  113 

Necessary  Equipment 

The  equipment  necessary  for  providing  the  kinds  of 
work  suggested  in  this  chapter  is  extremely  simple,  con- 
sisting of: 

Paper: 
Tagboard,  medium  weight. 
Newspaper;  imprinted,  white  and  colored. 

Pencils;  large  and  soft. 

Colored  crayons. 

Colored  lentils. 

Colored  inch  sticks. 

Paste  and  toothpicks. 

Alphabet  cards. 

Scissors. 

Envelopes;  large  and  cheap. 

Paper  weaving  mats. 

Rulers;  marked  off  into  inch  lengths. 

Hektograph;  hektograph  paper  and  ink. 

Where  to  Procure  Equipment 

The  materials  here  listed  are  inexpensive  and  may  be 
obtained  as  follows: 

Tagboard,  unprinted  newspaper,  and  hektograph  pa- 
per, from  any  firm  dealing  in  paper  or  from  a  printing 
office. 

Paste,  hektograph  ink,  and  envelopes,  from  any  firm 
dealing  in  stationery. 

Pencils,  colored  crayons,  lentils,  inch  sticks,  weaving 
mats,  alphabet  cards,  rulers,  and  scissors,  from  any  local 
firm  dealing  in  school  supplies. 

Teachers  may  procure  ready-made  hektographs  at 
establishments  carrying  school  supplies,  or  they  may 
make  their  own  from  either  of  the  following  formulas: 

8 


1 14  Five  Messages 

Homemade  Hektographs 

Formula  No.  1:  5  oz.  Knox's  gelatine;  1  qt.  glycerine. 

Soak  gelatine  in  one  quart  of  water  over  night.  Next 
morning  add  glycerine  and  place  in  a  double  boiler. 
After  it  begins  to  boil,  let  it  continue  from  five  to  seven 
minutes.  Then  pour  into  two  shallow  cake  tins,  each 
having  a  surface  about  10"  x  12,"  being  careful  to 
avoid  bubbles.  Set  away  to  cool,  removing  with  a 
knife  any  bubbles  that  may  appear.  Do  not  use  for 
forty-eight  hours.  If  in  good  condition,  it  will  be  spongy 
to  the  touch  by  the  end  of  this  time.  If  it  is  soft  and 
sticky  instead,  pour  it  back  into  the  double  boiler  and 
cook  a  little  longer. 

Formula  No.  2:  6  oz.  white  glue;  7  oz.  water;  14  oz. 
glycerine;  4  or  5  drops  carbolic  acid.1 

Soak  the  glue  in  water  an  hour.  Add  the  glycerine 
and  boil  in  a  double  boiler  twenty  minutes,  stirring  fre- 
quently. Pour  into  a  shallow  cake  tin  as  directed  in 
Formula  No.  1. 

A  good  hektograph  ink  may  be  made  by  dissolving  one 
dram  of  purple  aniline  in  one  ounce  of  water.  It  is  quite 
as  well,  however,  to  purchase  hektograph  ink  from  a  dealer. 

If  the  hektograph  is  to  be  used  often,  it  is  a  saving  to 
own  two;  in  which  case  it  is  necessary  only  to  rinse  off 
the  lint  with  lukewarm  water  after  using,  letting  it  stand 
two  or  three  days,  or  until  the  ink  has  settled,  before 
using  again.  Washing  with  warmer  water  wastes  the 
filling  and,  unless  much  care  is  exercised,  makes  the 
surface  rough. 

If  for  any  reason  the  hektograph  should  become  rough, 
it  may  be  melted  by  placing  it  upon  a  warm  radiator  or 
stove;  then  set  it  away  to  cool  on  some  level  surface. 

1  Double  these  quantities  if  two  hektographs  are  desired. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         115 

How  to  Use  the  Hektograph 

Place  the  hektograph  in  a  warm  room  several  hours 
before  using  it,  so  that  it  will  take  on  the  temperature 
of  the  room. 

In  cold  weather,  better  results  may  be  secured  if  a 
cloth  wrung  from  hot  water  is  laid  for  a  moment  upon 
the  surface  of  the  hektograph,  which  should  then  be  dried 
thoroughly  before  the  pattern  is  applied. 

The  method  of  using  the  hektograph  is  here  indicated 
by  means  of  specific  directions  for  making  a  set  of  enve- 
lopes containing  material  necessary  for  the  second  device 
under  "matching  identical  words"  suggested  on  p.  118 
of  this  chapter. 

Take  as  many  envelopes  as  are  needed  to  supply  the 
largest  class  of  a  room.  Slip  into  each  a  tagboard  card, 
slightly  smaller  than  the  envelope,  on  which  is  written 
a  list  of  words.  Write  the  following  label  on  the  out- 
side of  each  envelope:  "Matching  identical  words  — 
Device  b." 

Mark  all  the  envelopes  with  the  same  number,  but 
each  with  a  different  letter.  Put  into  them  material 
made  according  to  the  following  directions: 

Take  a  sheet  of  smooth  hard-finish  paper  (hektograph 
paper)  a  trifle  smaller  than  the  surface  of  the  hektograph 
and  fold  it  into  oblongs  about  three  quarters  of  an  inch 
wide  and  two  inches  long.  Then  unfold  and  with  hek- 
tograph ink,  using  a  coarse  pen,  carefully  draw  free-hand 
lines  along  each  crease  made  by  folding.  Next,  write  in 
the  oblongs  with  hektograph  ink  duplicates  of  the  words 
on  the  cards  placed  in  envelopes.  Let  the  ink  dry  at 
least  fifteen  minutes;  over  night  is  better.  An  indeli- 
ble pencil  may  be  substituted  for  hektograph  ink. 

Impress  the  copy  by  applying  it,  face  downward,  to 


u6  Five  Messages 

the  hektograph,  smoothing  carefully  with  a  warm  hand 
three  to  five  minutes  before  removing. 

Next,  print  the  copies  by  applying  to  the  surface  of 
the  hektograph  thin  tagboard  of  proper  size.  An  eraser 
covered  with  a  soft  white  cloth  is  a  convenient  means  of 
applying  the  tagboard,  one  or  two  sweeps  of  the  eraser 
doing  the  work.  If  the  copies  grow  dim  before  enough 
have  been  taken  off,  touch  the  surface  of  the  hekto- 
graph with  a  damp  sponge,  being  careful  not  to  blur 
the  copy.  After  the  required  number  is  thus  printed, 
let  the  teacher  (or  pupils)  cut  along  the  lines  separating 
the  words,  in  this  way  making  small  word  cards. 

In  rural  schools  where  teachers  have  less  than  .five 
pupils  in  the  beginning  class  it  is  better  for  them  to  have 
tagboard  cut  at  the  printing  office  into  oblongs  i"  x  2" 
and  to  have  the  upper-grade  pupils  write  the  words  on 
these  oblongs.  The  hektograph  is  scarcely  a  saving  of 
time  where  classes  are  less  than  five  in  number. 

Place  the  small  word  cards  made  from  each  sheet  in 
an  envelope  and  take  them  all  to  some  upper-grade 
class,  requesting  them  to  label  the  small  word  cards 
contained  in  each  in  accordance  with  the  number  and 
letter  on  the  outside.  By  this  means  a  pupil  can  readily 
recognize  his  own  material  if  he  chances  to  drop  it  and 
can  return  to  the  teacher's  desk  any  not  belonging  to  him, 
making  it  easy  for  her  to  keep  work  properly  segregated. 

Many  primary  teachers  organise  "helping  clubs"  with  pupils 
of  the  upper  grades,  obtaining  much  assistance  for  themselves  and 
affording  pleasure  to  the  pupils.  In  rural  schools  the  older  pupils 
may  constitute  the  "  helping  clubs." 

Before  putting  a  rubber  band  around  the  set  of  envel- 
opes thus  made  ready  for  use,  let  the  teacher  see  that 
the  small  cards  are  nearest  the  front  of  each  envelope  and 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         ny 

the  large  card  nearest  the  back.  Let  her  then  tuck  the 
flap  of  the  envelope  between  the  large  card  and  the 
back,  thus  keeping  the  small  cards  from  falling  out. 

The  method  just  described  for  preparing  the  contents 
of  this  special  set  of  envelopes  is  suggestive  of  that  for 
the  preparation  of  all  envelope  devices  requiring  hekto- 
graphed  material.  Each  envelope  containing  small  cards 
should  also  contain  a  large  card.  Whenever  a  copy  is 
needed  as  a  guide  for  pupils  in  the  work  it  should  be 
hektographed  on  this  card,  but  with  exercises  where  one 
is  not  needed,  the  large  card  is  necessary  to  keep  the 
small  cards  from  falling  out  of  the  envelope. 

In  case  teachers  prefer  to  hektograph  guide  material 
on  the  outside  of  envelopes  instead  of  placing  it  on  the 
large  cards  inside,  they  can  easily  do  so.  Cards  have 
the  advantage,  however,  of  keeping  surfaces  more  nearly 
flat  and  of  remaining  unsoiled  for  a  longer  time. 

Many  teachers  prefer  large  tagboard  envelopes  to 
the  smaller  and  cheaper  ones.  These  may  always  be 
obtained  at  a  reasonable  price. 

Receptacles  for  Seat-work  Material 

Some  teachers  prefer  small  tagboard  trays,  or  paper 
plates,  or  wooden  butter  plaques  in  place  of  envelopes 
during  the  first  few  weeks,  or  until  pupils  have  learned 
to  handle  material  with  some  degree  of  care  and  can  be 
trusted  to  manipulate  the  flaps  of  envelopes  as  sug- 
gested above  without  tearing  them. 

Some  teachers  prefer  the  small  boxes  obtained  at  drug 
stores;  others,  the  very  small  tagboard  ice-cream  pails 
obtained  at  ice-cream  stands. 

Another  very  convenient  receptacle  for  seat  work  may 
be  made  as  follows:    Take  a  piece  of  tagboard  9"  x  11". 


n8  Five  Messages 

Fold  one  of  the  9-inch  edges  slightly  past  the  center  of 
the  sheet  and  crease.  Fold  the  other  9-inch  edge  so  as 
to  lap  slightly  over  the  first  edge,  making  an  envelope 
5"  x  9".  Paste  these  edges  together.  Next,  close  one 
end  by  folding  back  half  an  inch  and  hemming  it  down  on 
the  machine.  This  gives  an  envelope  5"  x  &}4"  open  at 
the  top.  A  set  of  such  envelopes  may  easily  be  stood  up 
in  a  box  when  not  in  use. 

The  author's  part  in  the  preparation  of  the  following 
devices  is  largely  a  matter  of  selec^ipiv  and  organization. 
>  She  acknowledges  help  from  teachers'  books  and  mag- 
azines, and  also  from \many  ^primary  teachers  of  the 
Seattle  public  schools,  who  have  assisted  in  selecting 
and  adapting  the  best  devices  from  the  many  tested  and 
in  rejecting  the  others. 


FIRST  AND    SECOND    QUARTERS 
I.  Words  as  Wholes 

1.  Have  pupils  outline  words.  \j 
With  a  heavy  pencil  write  words  on  paper,  making 

one  space  letters  about  two  inches  high.  Give  a  word 
and  some  lentils  to  each  child,  asking  him  to  outline  the 
word.     Seeds  may  be  used  for  the  same  purpose. 

2.  Have  pupils  match  identical  words.        < 

a.  Give  pupils  envelopes  containing  small  cards  repre- 
senting several  duplicates  of  each  of  a  number  of  words. 
Let  them  segregate  these  into  as  many  groups  as  there 
are  words,  placing  all  that  are  alike  in  one  group. 

b.  Give  pupils  envelopes  containing  large  tagboard 
cards  on  which  are  hektographed  lists  of  words,  and 
small  cards  (one  word  on  each)  representing  duplicates  of 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  iiq 

the  lists.  Let  them  place  the  small  cards  on  their  desks 
to  correspond  with  the  order  of  words  on  the  large  card. 

Vary  this  exercise  by  having  pupils  place  words  to 
correspond  with  the  order  of  those  written  on  the  board. 

c.  Make  hektograph  copies  of  large  sheets  ruled  into 
oblongs  i"x2",  writing  words  in  every  other  row  of 
oblongs.  Give  to  each  pupil  one  of  these  copies,  together 
with  an  envelope  containing  duplicate  words  on  cards 
i"  x  2",  and  have  him  build  into  the  vacant  oblongs  the 
same  words  as  are  written  just  above  them  on  the  sheet. 
Give  pupils  several  copies  of  each  word  to  build  one  upon 
another. 

3.  Have  pupils  match  names  and  pictures.    </ 

Give  pupils  envelopes  containing  small  cards  on  which 
names  are  written  and  small  outline  pictures  printed  off 
on  the  hektograph  or  cut  from  magazines  and  pasted  on 
cards.  The  pictures  may  be  left  in  one  large  sheet  with 
room  enough  below  each  for  the  corresponding  word,  or 
each  picture  may  be  cut  out  by  itself,  in  which  case  it 
may  be.  placed  in  the  envelope.  Let  pupils  match  pic- 
tures and  words. 

Teachers  should  have  not  difficulty  in  finding  suitable 
pictures  to  serve  as  copies  in  hektographing  material  for 
this  device.  They  may  be  found  in  the  backs  of  maga- 
zines of  all  descriptions,  including  teachers'  journals, 
in  the  catalogues  of  publishing  houses,  and  in  sets 
prepared  for  this  purpose  and  sold  by  publishing 
companies. 

4.  Have  pupils  match  colors,  forms,  numbers,  and 
words. 

a.  Make  sets  of  envelopes  containing  several  pieces 
of  paper  representing  each  of  the  six  colors,  and  word 
cards  representing  the  names  of  these  colors.  Let  pupils 
match. 


720  Five  Messages 

■ 

b.  Make   sets   of   envelopes   each   containing   several 

squares,  oblongs,  triangles,  and  circles,  together  with  word 
cards  representing  these  forms.     Let  pupils  match. 

c.  Make  sets  of  envelopes  containing  colored  forms, 
together  with  word  cards  representing  descriptive  phrases. 
For  example,  "a  red  circle,"  "a  blue  square."  Let 
pupils  match. 

d.  Make  hektograph  copies  of  large  sheets  ruled  into 
two-inch  squares  containing  the  names  of  forms.  Give 
each  pupil  a  copy,  together  with  a  supply  of  colored 
wooden  lentils,  having  him  place  these  in  the  squares 
according  to  the  name  of  the  form  written  in  each.  For 
example,  "circle,"  "square." 

e.  Make  copies  the  same  as  for  "d,"  writing  in  squares 
words  representing  color  instead  of  form.  Let  pupils 
place  in  these  squares  any  form  or  number  of  lentils  so 
long  as  they  get  the  correct  color. 

/.  Make  copies  the  same  as  for  "d"  writing  in  squares 
words  suggesting  number  instead  of  form.  For  example, 
"one,"  "five,"  "ten."  (Do  not  let  the  numbers  go 
above  ten.)  Have  pupils  place  in  squares  the  right 
number  of  lentils. 

g.  Make  copies  the  same  as  for  "d,"  calling  for  color 
and  form.     For  example,  "red  circles,"  "blue  squares.'' 

h.  Make  copies  the  same  as  for  "d,"  calling  for 
number  and  form.  Example,  "five  squares,"  "seven 
circles." 

i.  Make  copies  the  same  as  for  "d,"  calling  for  number 
and  color.     Example,  "one  red,"   "three  green." 

/.  Make  copies  the  same  as  for  "d,"  calling  for  num- 
ber, color,  and  form.     Example,   "three  blue  squares." 

k.  Make  copies  the  same  as  for  "d,"  writing  a  dif- 
ferent suggestion  in  each  square  so  as  to  give  review  of 
"d,"  "e,"  "/,"  "g,"  "h"  "i,"  and  ";',"  all  in  one  exercise. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         121 

5.  Have  pupils  make  cuttings  and  drawings  represent- 
ing words. 

Give  each  pupil  a  card  on  which  is  hektographed  ten 
or  twelve  names  of  common  objects.  Let  him  draw  a 
picture  or  make  a  cutting  illustrating  each  word.  Later, 
let  him  draw  or  cut  from  lists  on  the  board. 

6.  Have  pupils  illustrate  phrases  with  colored  crayons. 
Write  on  the  board  phrases  from  reading  lessons,  such 

as  "a  green  leaf,"  "a  yellow  pear,"  "a  red  apple."    Let 
pupils  illustrate  them. 


II.  Sentences1 

1.  Have  pupils  match  identical  hektographed  sen- 
tences. 

In  order  to  adapt  this  suggestion  to  this  stage  let 
teachers  give  a  number  of  sentences  almost  but  not  quite 
alike. 

2.  Have  pupils  place  separate  sentences  on  desks  to 
correspond  with  the  order  on  a  card  or  on  the  board.  See 
suggestion  under  "Words  as  Wholes,"  p.  118. 

Later,  cut  half  the  sentences  into  separate  words  and 
have  pupils  rebuild  to  match  copies. 

3.  Have  pupils  place  hektographed  sentences  giving 
color  and  form  under  the  colored  forms. 

Employ  variety  of  sentences.     Example,  "This  is  a 

green  square,"   "I  have,"   "Here  is,"   "Do  you  see?" 

Later,  cut  up  the  sentences  and  let  pupils  rebuild  them. 

4.  Have  pupils  paste  on  paper,  from  board  copy, 
sentences  which  have  been  cut  into  words.  Let  pupils 
take  these  sentences  home  and  read  them  to  parents. 

'From  this  point  on  it  is  well,  in  preparing  hektograph  copies  for 
seat  work,  to  underline  family  names  which  have  been  made  familiar 
by  previous  phonic  exercises. 


122 


Five  Messages 


5.  Have  pupils  place  under  a  picture  one  or  two  de-' 
scriptive  sentences  written  on  cards. 

Several  pictures  with  corresponding  sentences  may  be 
given  to  one  pupil  as  one  exercise. 


III.  Phonics 

1.  Have  pupils  match  identical  script  letters. 

2.  Have  pupils  group  words  according  to  initial  letters: 
a.  Placing  in  squares,   oblongs,   or  circles  which  are 

hektographed  on  large  sheets  and  marked  with  letters, 
words  of  the  same  initial  letter  written  on  small  cards. 


a 

c 

and 

cat 

b 

d 

boy 

dog 

b.  Placing  groups  of  words  on  desks  in  the  same  order, 
with  reference  to  initial  letters,  as  letters  placed  on  cards. 

c.  Placing  words  in  groups  according  to  their  initial 
letters. 

3.  Have  pupils  segregate  identical  two-letter  short- 
vowel  family  names  into  groups.  Make  this  exercise 
constantly  more  difficult  by  increasing  the  number  of 
family  names. 

4.  Have  pupils  place  words  on  desks  under  family 
names  to  which  they  belong. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         123 

First,  give  them  long  strips  of  paper  on  each  of  which 
are  written,  in  a  horizontal  line,  family  names  corres- 
ponding to  those  in  words  to  be  placed  under  them. 


ap 

un 

cap 


sun 


sap 


run 


tap 


fun 


Later,  substitute  for  the  strips  the  family  names 
written  on  separate  cards  the  same  size  as  the  word  cards. 
Have  pupils  find  these,  place  them  at  the  top  of  desks, 
and  then  place  corresponding  words  under  them. 

The  above  suggestions  are  for  script.  The  whole 
series  may  be  adapted  so  as  to  match  script  with  print, 
or  print  with  print. 


IV.  Reading 

1.  Have  pupils  review  board  lessons. 

Let  the  teacher  copy  on  the  back  of  a  large  tagboard 
envelope  each  interesting  blackboard  lesson  that  seems 
suitable  for  future  seat  reading.  Let  her  place  inside 
the  envelope  a  copy  of  the  lesson  cut  into  sentences. 
When  she  has  as  many  different  lessons  as  she' has  pupils 
in  her  largest  class,  she  has  a  "set"  and  can  begin  the  use 
of  it.  This  set  will  serve  for  as  many  seat  periods  as  it 
contains  lessons,  because  each  child  has  a  copy  of  only 
one  lesson  at  a  period. 


124  Five  Messages 

Let  each  pupil  first  try  to  read  the  lesson  on  his 
envelope  and  then  place  the  sentences  contained  inside 
in  proper  order  to  correspond  with  that  on  the  outside. 
Later,  cut  the  sentences  in  two.  Still  later,  cut  them 
into  separate  words. 

Tagboard  cards  for  copies  of  the  lessons  and  small 
envelopes  for  sentences  and  words  to  duplicate'  them 
may  be  used  in  place  of  large  envelopes. 

The  same  idea  may  be  carried  out  by  means  of 
duplicate  copies  of  discarded  primers. 

2.  Have  pupils  read  easy  new  lessons. 

Let  the  teacher  compose,  or  copy  from  primers  not 
used  in  her  school,  a  "set"  of  very  simple  but  interesting 
lessons  on  familiar  subjects,  using  pictures  frequently 
instead  of  words,  and,  if  possible,  illustrating  each  lesson 
prettily  in  water  colors.  Let  her  remember  to  underline 
familiar  phonic  family  names,  thus  making  the  reading 
easier  for  pupils. 

The  independent  reading  of  these  lessons  during  the 
second  quarter  serves  as  a  stepping-stone  to  the  reading 
of  primers  suggested  as  a  form  of  seat  work  during  the 
third  and  fourth  quarters.  At  the  close  of  this  exercise 
let  one  or  two  pupils  read  their  lessons  to  the  class. 
This  suggestion  may  prove  too  difficult  for  certain  classes 
during  the  second  quarter.  In  such  cases  it  should  be 
taken  up  later  in  the  year. 

V.  Dictation   for   Pupils   Written   on   Blackboard 
or  on  Individual  Cards 

Several  weeks  before  using  any  kind  of  seat  work  that 
calls  for  a  knowledge  of  the  forms  of  animals  or  of  natural 
objects,  let  teachers  put  before  pupils  model  cuttings, 
and  put  on  the  board  large  mass  drawings  from  which 
pupils  may  make  free-hand  cuttings. 


To  Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         12$ 

1.  Have  pupils  do  free-hand  paper  cutting. 

Employ  the  simplest  forms  of  leaves,  fruits,  vegetables, 
and  trees  during  September,  October,  and  part  of  Novem- 
ber; the  turkey  and  the  duck  during  the  latter  part  of 
November;  the  reindeer  and  the  camel  during  December; 
the  rabbit,  the  bear,  the  seal,  and  the  Eskimo  during 
January. 

Examples : 

a.  Cut  an  apple  leaf. 
Cut  an  orange. 
Cut  a  pear. 

Cut  a  beet. 

b.  Cut  an  apple  tree. 
Cut  a  poplar  tree. 

b.  Cut  a  rabbit. 
Cut  a  bear. 
Cut  a  seal. 

2.  Have  pupils  do  stick  laying. 
Examples : 

a.  Make  a  square. 
Make  an  oblong. 
Make  a  triangle. 

b.  Make  two  squares. 
Make  one  oblong. 
Make  three  triangles. 

c.  Make  2  squares. 
Make  1  oblong. 
Make  3  triangles. 

d.  Make  a  red  square. 
Make  a  yellow  triangle. 
Make  a  blue  oblong. 


126  Five  Messages 

e.   Make  two  red  squares. 

Make  one  green  oblong. 

Make  four  yellow  squares. 
/.    Make  2  red  oblongs. 

Make  1  green  square. 

Make  4  yellow  triangles. 
g.  Make  a  yellow  chair. 

Make  a  blue  triangle. 

Make  an  orange  ladder. 
h.  Make  a  house. 

Make  a  fence. 

Make  some  trees. 

3.  Have  pupils  draw. 
Examples : 

a.  (with  colored  crayon) 
Make  two  green  squares. 
Make  three  red  circles. 
Make  four  blue  oblongs. 

b.  (with  large  soft  pencil) 
Draw  a  robin. 

Draw  three  robins. 

c.  Draw  a  bare  tree. 
Draw  a  fir  tree. 

Suggestions  for  alphabet  cards  and  those  for  written  exercises 
are  purposely  omitted  from  the  work  of  the  first  two  quarters. 

THIRD  AND  FOURTH  QUARTERS 

Teachers  desiring  more  devices  for  first  and  second 
quarters  than  those  suggested  on  pp.  1 18-126,  can 
easily  adapt  them  from  the  following  suggestions 

Sequence  of  work  is  indicated  only  in  a  very  general 
way  for  the  third  and  fourth  quarters.  Teachers  are 
left  to  select  and  adapt  according  to  their  daily  needs. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         127 

I.  Words  as  Wholes 

1.  Have  pupils  continue  any  work  of  the  first  two 
quarters  which  is  not  outgrown. 

2.  Have  pupils  place  days  of  the  week  (written  on' 
separate  cards)  in  proper  sequence  on  desks;  at  first 
from  copy,  later  with  copy  turned  face  downward. 

Let  pupils  compare  their  lists,  after  completing  them, 
with  the  copy.  Give  each  pupil  ceveral  duplicate  sets 
of  the  days  of  the  week. 

3.  Have  pupils  place  months  of  the  year  in  proper 
sequence,  at  first  with  copy,  later  with  copy  turned  face 
downward. 

When  completed,  let  pupils  compare  their  lists  with 
copy.  Give  each  pupil  several  duplicate  sets  of  the 
months  of  the  year. 

4.  Have  pupils  match  words  representing  the  names  of 
numbers  with  the  corresponding  figures. 

At  first  to  ten,  later  to  twenty.  In  the  beginning  the 
figures  may  be  placed  upon  one  large  card  and  pupils 
instructed  to  place  small  cards  containing  corresponding 
words  opposite  them,  or  vice  versa.  Later,  a  separate 
small  card  should  be  given  for  each  word  and  one  for  each 
figure. 

5.  Have  pupils  make  and  use  word-books  as  follows: 
Take    seven    sheets    of    white    unprinted    newspaper 

9"  x  12".  Fold  each  down  the  center,  making  a  booklet 
of  four  pages  6"  x  9".  With  an  ordinary  pin,  fasten  the 
seven  sheets  together,  making  a  booklet  of  twenty-six 
pages,  exclusive  of  the  first  and  last,  which  serve  as  cover. 
In  the  upper  corners  of  the  pages  of  this  booklet  write 
the  letters  of  the  alphabet,  or  have  upper-grade  pupils 
write  them,  in  proper  sequence. 

From  an  envelope  containing  words  from  past  reading 


128 


Five  Messages 


lessons  hektographed  on  white  imprinted  newspaper, 
let  pupils  select  those  beginning  with  the  letter  "a"  and 
paste  neatly  on  page  "a."  Paste  those  beginning  with 
"b"  on  page  "b,"  continuing  thus  throughout  the  book. 

Let  the  teacher  add  new  words  from  reading  lessons 
every  few  days  to  the  envelope  used  for  this  purpose. 

About  once  a  week  let  pupils  take  these  word  books 
home  to  show  to  parents.  Encourage  weak  pupils  to  ask 
for  home  help  in  drilling  upon  words  in  the  books. 

6.  Have  pupils  underline  familiar  words  on  pages  cut 
from  old  magazines. 

7.  Have  pupils  match  pictures  and  appropriate  de- 
scriptive adjectives. 

Example:  Pretty,  green,  large,  small,  round,  good, 
funny.  •* 

8.  Have  pupils  place  words  on  small  word  cards  oppo- 
site those  of  similar  meaning  written  on  the  large  card 
in  the  envelope. 

For  example : 


happy 
large 

glad 

big 

Vary  this  exercise  by  placing  words  of  opposite  meaning. 
For  example : 


high 
sweet 

low 

sour 

II.     Sentences 

1 .  Have  pupils  find  in  envelopes  and  combine  parts  of 
sentences  that  review  thoughts  brought  out  in  past  read- 
ing. (Not  necessarily  given  in  the  exact  form  in  which 
they  appeared  in  reading.) 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         12Q 
For  example : 


Baby  Bob  has                         a  little  ball. 

Ben  has                                    a  big  ball. 

The  clouds                               are  white. 

Ben  made                                a  bed  for  kitty. 

2.  Have  pupils  arrange  sentences  from  envelopes  in 
proper  sequence. 

For  this  purpose  it  is  necessary  that  teachers  select  or 
adapt  such  sentences  as  represent  decided  sequence. 

a.  Placing  the  sentences  of  a  simple  story,  read  pre- 
viously as  a  reading  lesson. 

Let  pupils  first  work  with  whole  sentences;  next  with 
sentences  cut  in  two;  and  later,  with  sentences  cut  into 
separate  words. 
Example : 

A  black  crow  sat  in  a  tree. 

He  had  a  piece  of  cheese  in  his  mouth. 

A  cunning  old  fox  came  along. 

He  saw  the  black  crow. 

He  wanted  the  cheese. 

"You  are  a  beautiful  bird,"  said  the  fox. 

"You  must  have  a  beautiful  voice. 

"  Please  sing  a  song  for  me." 

The  crow  was  pleased  to  hear  this. 

"Caw,"  said  the  crow. 

Down  fell  the  cheese. 

Away  went  the  fox  with  it. 


ijo  Five  Messages 

b.  Placing  sentences  from  past  reading  lessons  which 
review  their  own  experiences  in  order  of  occurrence. 
Later,  cut  sentences  in  two;  then  cut  them  into  words. 

Example : 

We  took  a  walk. 
We  looked  for  leaves. 
We  found  some  pretty  ones. 
We  brought  them  to  school. 

c.  Placing  sentences  from  past  nature  lessons  according 
to  nature's  development.  Later,  cut  in  two;  still  later, 
cut  into  words.  > 

Example : 

I  was  once  a  caterpillar. 
I  spun  a  cocoon. 
I  went  to  sleep  in  it. 
I  slept  a  long,  long  time. 
I  had  wings  when  I  awoke. 
I  spread  my  wings  out  wide. 
Now  I  shall  fly  away. 
Good-by,  little  children. 

d.  Placing  sentences  from  review  dialogue  lessons  in 
proper  order. 

3.  Have  pupils  select  from  envelopes  sentences  de- 
scriptive of  the  day  and  place  on  desks.  Later,  after  sen- 
tences have  been  cut  into  words  or  phrases,  let  pupils 
select  these  and  build  sentences  exactly  descriptive  of 
the  day;  at  first  from  copy,  later  without  one. 
Example : 

To-day  is  Friday.     To-day  is  Monday,  etc. 

This  month  is  January.     This  month  is  May. 

The  year  is  19 13. 

It  is  a  cold  day.     It  is  not  a  cold  day. 


To    Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         iji 

Snow  is  on  the  ground.     There  is  no  snow. 

The  wind  is  cold.     The  wind  is  not  cold. 

It  is  snowing.     It  is  not  snowing. 

The  wind  is  blowing.     The  wind  is  not  blowing. 

It  rained  last  night.     It  did  not  rain  last  night. 

This  is  a  foggy  morning.     This  is  not  a  foggy  morning. 

The  air  is  warm.     The  air  is  cold. 

This  is  a  sunny  day.     This  is  a  cloudy  day. 

It  is  raining.     It  is  not  raining. 

The  sky  is  blue.     The  sky  is  gray. 

The  sun  is  shining.     The  sun  is  not  shining. 

There  was  dew  on  the  grass  this  morning.     There 

was  no  dew  on  the  grass  this  morning. 
There  was  frost  on  the  grass  this  morning.     There 

was  no  frost  last  night. 
We  cannot  see  the  sun.    We  can  see  the  sun. 
A  cloud  is  in  the  sky.     There  is  no  cloud  in  the  sky. 
There  is  not  a  cloud  in  the  sky.     There  are  clouds 

in  the  sky. 
The  days  are  growing  shorter.     The  days  are  growing 

longer. 
The  clouds  are  white.     The  clouds  are  not  white. 
I  think  it  will  rain  to-day.     I  think  it  will  not  rain 

to-day. 
The  wind  is  from  the  east  (or  west  or  north  or  south) . 

4.  Have  pupils  find  appropriate  words  in  envelopes  and 
fill  blank  spaces  left  in  sentences  contained  in  the  same 
envelopes. 

5.  Have  pupils  build  sentences  from  words  telling  of 
activities  for  different  days  of  the  week. 

Examples : 
a.  We  go  to  school  on  Monday. 
We  stay  at  home  on  Saturday. 


Ij2  Five  Messages 

b.  Monday  is  a  school  day. 
Saturday  is  not  a  school  day. 

c.  Monday  is  wash  day. 
Tuesday  is  ironing  day. 

Let  the  teacher  have  questions  on  the  board  or  on  cards 
for  pupils  to  answer  in  all  exercises,  employing  this 
device  as  well  as  in  those  employing  the  next  one. 

6.  Have  pupils  build  sentences  descriptive  of  them- 
selves. 

Example : 

My  name  is  Roy  Brown. 
I  am  six  years  old. 
I  live  on  Maple  Street. 
I  go  to  the  Maple  School. 
Miss  Gray  is  my  teacher. 

7 .  Have  pupils  build  sentences  of  their  own  from  words 
representing  the  vocabulary  of  a  certain  subject  familiar 
to  them. 

Let  the  teacher  include  among  the  words  a  number  of 
articles,  verbs,  pronouns,  and  prepositions. 

III.  Alphabet  Cards 

No  form  of  seat  work  is  more  misused  than  this.  Let 
the  teacher  always  have  a  definite  purpose  in  view  when 
employing  it.  Let  the  work  increase  in  difficulty  as 
pupils  develop.  Do  not  repeat  the  same  devices  week 
after  week. 

i .  Have  pupils  match  script  and  print  letters  on  small 
alphabet  cards. 

2.  Have  pupils  place  print  letters  corresponding  to 
script  letters  in  two-inch  squares  hektographed  on  large 
sheets. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         133 

3.  Have  pupils  build  print  words  from  script  copies. 

4.  Have  pupils  reproduce  known  words  found  in  their 
readers  beginning  with  certain  letters. 

5.  Have  pupils  build  appropriate  words  to  fill  blank 
spaces  left  in  sentences  contained  in  envelopes. 

During  this  exercise  let  the  teacher  have  on  the  board  a 
list  of  words  among  which  is  one  suitable  to  fill  the  blank. 
Have  pupils  look  and  decide  which  it  is  before  building, 
and  then  in  building  copy  this  word. 

6.  Have  pupils  reproduce  all  the  words  that  represent 
names  from  a  list  written  on  the  board. 

7.  Have  pupils  answer  each  of  a  series  of  questions 
written  on  the  board  by  building  one  word  from  the 
alphabet  cards.     For  example: 

"What  was  our  last  reading  lesson  about?" 
"Kitty." 

"What  must  we  feed  kitty?" 
"Milk." 
See  suggestion  under  "5"  above. 

8.  Have  pupils  make  complete  forms  of  familiar  words 
written  on  the  board  with  one  letter  missing. 

For  example: 

b  -  y,       g  -  rl. 

At  first,  let  the  teacher  place  two  lists  on  the  board, 
writing  them  in  different  order,  one  of  which  gives  the 
complete  form  of  each  word.  Later,  give  only  the'm- 
complete  list. 

9.  Have  pupils  make,  from  a  list  of  three-letter 
words,  other  words  by  changing  one  letter. 

For  example: 

"cab"  from  "can";  "get"  from  "let";  "pin"  from 
"pan."     See  suggestion  under  "5"  above. 

10.  Have  pupils  make  all  possible  words  from  certain 


1 34  Five  Messages 

letters   which   the   teacher   writes   on   the   board.     For 
example,  a,  m,  s,  e,  b,  c,  o,  k,  1,  i,  y,  t,  n,  d. 

During  this  exercise,  have  on  the  board  a  list  of  words 
among  which  are  those  composed  of  these  letters. 

1 1 .  Have  pupils  place  the  alphabet  in  proper  sequence 
upon  desks;  at  first  from  copies  written  on  cards,  later 
from  memory,  each  using  his  copy  for  comparison  only 
after  his  own  alphabet  is  complete.  Two  sets  of  alpha- 
bets, one  small  and  one  capital,  should  be  employed. 

During  the  inspection  of  this  work,  let  the  teacher 
occasionally  have  pupils  point  to  and  name  the  letters 
in  concert,  thus  fixing  in  their  minds  the  proper  sequence. 

The  same  idea  may  be  carried  out  with  figures  placed  in  the 
form  of  a  calendar,  using  the  present  month  always  and  having 
the  first  figure  come  on  a  definite  day. 

12.  Have  pupils  make  their  names,  name  of  school, 
city,  and  teacher;  at  first  from  copy,  later  from  memory, 
using  copy  only  to  compare  results. 

13.  Have  pupils  make  days  of  the  week,  also  days  of 
the  month. 

14.  Have  pupils  duplicate  any  of  the  devices  prac- 
ticable for  alphabet  cards  suggested  under  I  and  II 
above,  and  under  IV  below. 

IV.  Phonics 

1.  Have  pupils  group  words  according  to  combina- 
tions of  initial  sounds.  For  example:  crawl,  cry;  spring, 
spry. 

2.  Have  pupils  place  words  of  the  same  family  names 
or  riming  words  in  groups,  constantly  using  words  that 
represent  the  phonic  knowledge  of  pupils  up  to  date. 

3.  Have  pupils  combine  family  names  and  conso- 
nants contained  in  envelopes  into  words;  at  first,  single 


To   Teachers  of  Primary   Reading  ij$ 

consonants,    later,    combinations;    at  first    with    copies, 
later  without. 

4.  Have  pupils  make  phonic  family  names,  using 
alphabet  cards;  first  from  copies,  later  from  memory. 

5.  Have  pupils  make  combinations  of  consonants  that 
begin  words  (called  "double  first  names");  at  first  from 
cards  or  board,  later  from  memory.  For  example:  sp, 
st,  tr,  fl,  sh. 

V.  Reading 

1.  Have  pupils  read  primers. 

A  set  of  easy  primers  of  different  titles,  which  can  be 
secured  at  comparatively  slight  cost,  abundantly  repays 
all  expenditure.  Any  teacher  who  feels  unable  to  pur- 
chase a  set  herself,  may  endeavor  to  procure  one  by  en- 
couraging each  pupil  to  buy  one  primer  from  her  list  of 
desirable  titles  and  to  loan  it  during  the  term  to  the 
little  "library"  thus  created,  in  return  for  the  privilege 
of  reading  all  the  other  prirrc:  1  at  different  seat  periods 
during  the  term. 

Teachers  should  take  two  or  three  minutes  at  the 
close  of  each  seat-reading  exercise  to  have  reports  from 
pupils  concerning  lessons  read.  In  rural  schools  the 
upper-grade  pupils  may  hear  these  reports. 

2.  Have  pupils  read  easy  stories  pasted  on  cardboard. 

a.  From  old  readers. 

b.  From  story  pages  of  teachers'  magazines. 

VI.  Written  Dictation 

Dictation  written  on  the  blackboard  or  on  individual  cards. 

Pupils  develop  more  independence  from  individual 
dictations  than  from  the  blackboard,  because,  with  the 
former,  they  find  it  impossible  to  copy  from  others. 


ij6  Five  Messages 

i.  Have  pupils  do  free-hand  paper  cutting. 
Examples : 

a.  Cut  some  boys  playing  ball. 
Cut  some  girls  swinging. 
Cut  a  garden  party. 

b.  Cut  a  two-inch  square. 
Cut  a  three-inch  square. 
Cut  a  four-inch  square. 
Cut  an  oblong  2x4  inches. 
Cut  an  oblong  1x3  inches. 

At  first  let  pupils  use  rulers  in  doing  "6";  later,  do  free- 
hand cutting  and  test  with  rulers. 

2.  Have  pupils  draw. 
Examples : 

a.  Take  a  four-inch  square,  fold  it  into  four  squares, 
draw  pictures  in  them  like  this: 


a  rake 

a  spade 

a  hoe 

a  wheel 
barrow 

b.  Write  your  name  on  your  paper. 

Draw  Little  Red  Hen  cutting  the  wheat. 
Draw  her  threshing  it. 
Draw  her  taking  it  to  mill. 
Draw  her  making  it  into  bread. 
Draw  her  baking  it. 
Draw  her  eating  it. 

Turn  your  paper  over. 

Draw  the  pig. 

Draw  the  rat. 

Draw  the  cat. 

Draw  Little  Red  Hen  asking  them  to  help  her. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         137 

c.  Illustrate  such  sentences  as: 
Scratch  for  worms,  little  chicks. 
Ben  and  Willie  like  to  play  ball. 
Pick  some  flowers  for  mother,  Alice. 
Run  to  school,  children. 

d.  Draw  a  mother  rabbit. 
Draw  three  baby  rabbits. 
Draw  a  house  for  them. 

Give  them  some  carrots  and  beet  tops  to  eat. 
Give  them  some  clover  and  lettuce,  too. 
Give  them  a  pan  of  water. 
Draw  Fred  feeding  them. 

e.  Illustrate  on  separate  sheets  of  paper  such  stories  as 
those  suggested  under  "V,  2"  above. 

/.    Illustrate  such  phrases  as: 
Running  down  the  road. 
Climbing  a  tree. 
Playing  with  a  ball. 
Sitting  on  a  fence. 
Cracking  a  nut. 
Give  pupils  only  the  suggestion,  leaving  them  to  decide 
what  to  draw  for  "Running  down  the  road,"  etc. 

g.  Measure  and  draw  forms  with  rulers  marked  off 
into  inches.  (Pasteboard  rulers  may  be  used;  wooden 
ones  preferable.) 

Draw  a  three-inch  line. 

Draw  a  five-inch  line. 

Draw  a  two-inch  square. 

Draw  an  oblong  3x6  inches. 

Draw  a  seven-inch  square. 

Inside  the  seven-inch  square  draw  a  five-inch  square. 

Inside  the  five-inch  square  draw  a  three-inch  square. 

Inside  the  three-inch  square,  draw  a  one-inch  square. 


ij8  Five  Messages 

Before  pupils  can  do  this  exercise  alone,  they  must 
be  taught  how  to  place  dots  to  mark  the  corners  of  one 
square  placed  inside  of  another. 

When  inspecting  drawing  exercises  (and  all  others 
done  on  sheets  of  paper)  teachers  may  add  interest  to 
the  work  by  stamping  the  word  "good"  on  those  papers 
that  deserve  it.  Rubber  stamps  may  be  obtained  from 
local  stationery  dealers. 

The  Brownie  picture  stamps,  when  used  for  this  pur- 
pose, delight  pupils.  Gilt  stars  pasted  on  good  papers 
may  serve  the  same  purpose. 

3.  Have  pupils  do  stick  laying. 

a.  Dictation  for  numbers  up  to  twenty. 
Examples : 

Place  ten  blue  sticks  side  by  side. 
Place  twelve  orange  sticks  end  to  end. 
Put  fifteen  green  sticks  in  a  group. 

b.  Make  oblongs  like  these: 

(Teacher  drawing  horizontal  and  vertical  oblongs  on 
the  board.) 

c.  Make  triangles  like  these: 

(Teacher  drawing  rightangled  triangles  on  the  board, 
placing  the  right  angles  in  all  possible  positions.) 

d.  Take  eight  red  sticks  and  make  a  square. 
Take  eight  blue  sticks  and  make  an  oblong. 
Take  nine  orange  sticks  and  make  a  triangle. 

e.  Make  an  orange  oblong  1x5  inches. 
Make  a  violet  oblong  3x4  inches. 

4.  Have  pupils  do  paper  weaving  on  mats  that  take 
twelve  strips. 

Instead  of  using  words,  let  the  teacher  use  horizontal 


To    Teachers  of  Primary   Reading  ijq 

bars  placed  over  and  under  the  figures.     For  example, 
let  her  indicate  "over  i,  under  2"  as  follows:     "1,    2." 

The  dictations  given  below  are  suggestive  of  many 
more  which  teachers  can  work  out  for  themselves. 

iiiiii^iiiiii 

LlLllllllILI 

Let  each  pupil  weave  the  above  pattern  six  times, 
thus  filling  his  mat. 

2        _2         2        _2         2         2 
2       2       2_       2       2       2 

Weave  above  pattern  six  times. 

2       3_      2      3       2 
23^32 

Weave  above  pattern  six  times. 

2        2_       2        2_      2         2 

i_      2        2_      2        2       2       1 

2_       2        2_        2       2         2 

I  2^         2        £  2        _2  I 

Weave  above  pattern  three  times. 


140 


Five  Messages 

A  T  1 


3  i                       3                      1 

3  3                       3                       3 

3  3                    3_                   3 

Weave  above  pattern  twice. 

£  I       £1311.      II 

I  £        I                  ^                  I         1         I 

I  i                   6                   i      i_ 

1  i  2               ^               7 
£  2                    2_                    2                    2 

2  2  2                     2                     2 


(l) 

(2) 
(3) 

(4) 
(5) 
(6) 


Repeat  above  dictation,  reading  from  the  bottom  up, 
thus  rilling  the  mat. 

By  having  dictation  rows  numbered  in  all  patterns  of 
any  complexity,  pupils  can  keep  the  place  better  and 
teachers  can  more  easily  locate  and  call  attention  to 
mistakes  in  weaving. 

Vary  the  weaving  exercise  by  giving  each  pupil  a  card 
containing  a  different  dictation,  letting  him  work  out  his 
individual  pattern. 

Occasionally,  a  pupil  can  create  designs  during  the 


To    Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         141 


last  quarter  of  the  first  year,  and  write  dictations  on 
cards  to  serve  as  guides  to  other  pupils  in  weaving. 

Cloth  mats,  made  from  window-shade  material,  may 
be  used  instead  of  paper  mats  for  weaving.  Scraps  of 
such  material  may  be  obtained  at  little  or  no  expense 
from  most  furniture  dealers.  Two  contrasting  colors  are 
necessary — one  for  mats  and  one  for  weavers. 

Teachers  can  easily  prepare  these  mats  and  weavers 
after  securing  the  necessary  material. 

5.  Have  pupils  do  construction  work. 

Example  1 ,  a  basket : 

Take  your  square. 

Fold  it  into  sixteen  squares. 

Cut  off  four  squares. 

Make  it  look  like  this,   (a) 

Cut  off  three  squares. 

Make  it  look  like  this.  (6) 

Crease  the  corner  squares. 

Make  them  look  like  this,  (c) 

Cut  on  the  creases. 

Cross  the  corners. 

Paste  them. 

Put  on  a  handle. 

Now,  you  have  a  little  basket ! 

The  making  of  this  basket  should  be  supervised  the 
first  time. 

Example  2,  a  box: 

Fold  sixteen  squares. 

Cut  off  four  squares. 

Take  a  pencil. 

Make  the  paper  look  like  this. 

Cut  between  1  and  2. 


\ 

\ 

/ 

/ 

f\ 

1 __4 

2J |__     5 

3  I  T~6 


142  Five  Messages 

Cut  between  2  and  3. 
Cut  between  4  and  5. 
Cut  between  5  and  6. 
Fold  1  and  3  together. 
Fold  2  over  them. 
Make  the  edges  even. 
Paste  them  together. 
Fold  4  and  6  together. 
Fold  5  over  them. 
Paste  them  all  together. 
Now,  you  have  a  box ! 

The  making  of  this  box  should  be  supervised  the  first 
time. 

Boxes  are  used  as  foundation  for  other  pieces  of  con- 
struction work.  This  lesson,  therefore,  serves  two 
purposes:  (1)  to  review  past  work;  (2)  to  serve  as  a 
beginning  for  chairs,  tables,  or  other  pieces  of  furniture 
which  must  be  finished  under  the  supervision  of  the 
teacher. 

VII.  Written  Work 

During  the  last  quarter  have  pupils  — 

1.  Copy  from  the  board  lists  of  words  previously 
visualized.  Give  them  strips  of  paper,  telling  them  to 
look  at  each  word,  then  to  look  away,  trying  to  hold  the 
picture  in  mind;  next,  to  write  it;  and,  finally,  to  compare 
their  word  with  the  copy  on  the  board. 

When  the  whole  list  has  thus  been  written  once,  have 
pupils  fold  the  words  back  out  of  sight  so  as  not  to 
copy  them,  and  begin  a  new  list,  again  studying  from 
the  board.  When  the  second  list  is  complete,  let 
them  compare  the  two  lists  on  their  paper  and  begin 
a  third. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         143 

2.  Copy  tlieir  names  and  addresses,  using  good  copies; 
also  the  name  of  their  school. 

3.  Copy,  occasionally,  short  sentences  from  the  board 
that  have  been  visualized  previously  in  class. 

It  should  be  noted  that  very  little  written  work  is  here  sug- 
gested for  seat  occupation,  and  that  suggested  is  of  types  which 
do  not  lead  to  the  formation  of  bad  habits,  either  in  spelling  or 
language. 

CONCLUSION 

Attention  is  here  called  to  the  following  points: 

1.  No  teacher  should  use  any  of  the  preceding  devices 
merely  because  they  are  suggested.  Only  those  that 
bring  results  should  be  continued.  The  success  of  seat 
work  in  each  particular  school  depends  upon  existing  con- 
ditions, thus  making  it  important  that  each  teacher 
exercise  her  best  judgment  in  making  selections  for  this 
work.  Many  of  the  exercises  suggested  above  are  too 
difficult  for  immature  pupils,  and  a  number  of  them  too 
difficult  for  any  but  the  most  mature. 

2.  Some  types  of  seat  work  should  be  given  frequently 
until  outgrown,  while  others  should  be  given  only  once 
a  week  and  kept  interesting  to  pupils  during  several 
months.  The  examples  cited  below  are  only  a  few  of 
those  belonging  to  this  latter  type. 

Describing  the  day,  p.  130  (Example  3). 

Answering  questions  with  cards,  p.  132  (Examples 
5  and  6). 

Placing  the  letters  of  the  alphabet  in  proper  sequence, 
p.  134  (Example  n). 

Mat  weaving,  p.  138  (Example  4). 

3.  Devices  must  be  selected  in  such  sequence  as  to 
develop  ever  increasing  power  on  the   part  of  pupils. 


144  Five  Messages 

By  thus  graduating  the  exercises,  classes  may  often 
be  led  to  accomplish  tasks  otherwise  quite  impossible 
for  them. 

4.  In  order  that  seat  work  may  fulfill  its  truest  pur- 
pose, it  is  very  necessary  that  teachers  adapt  devices  so 
as  to  keep  them  up  to  date  with  the  subjects  of  other 
school  exercises. 

5.  Words  involved  in  seat  work  should  receive  atten- 
tion in  word-study  lessons  each  day. 

6.  The  devices  given  above  should  suggest  to  teachers 
an  unlimited  number  of  possible  variations  adapted  to 
their  particular  needs. 

7.  No  form  of  school  exercise  needs  more  careful  prep- 
aration than  does  seat  work.  The  attention  given  it 
should  be  as  constant  and  regular  as  that  afforded  to  daily 
recitations.  Teachers  who  have  acquired  the  habit  of 
working  expeditiously  can  prepare  it,  daily  or  weekly, 
without  devoting  an  unreasonable  amount  of  time  to  it. 


MESSAGE   FIVE 

OUTLINES  OF  SUBJECT  MATTER l 

CONDENSED  OUTLINE 

In  order  to  give  a  "whole  view"  a  condensed  form  is 
here  given  preliminary  to  the  expanded  form  which 
follows  it.  Home  and  school  ideas  are  made  dominant 
because  the  most  vital  interests  of  first-grade  pupils 
are  found  in  topics  pertaining  to  these  subjects. 

People  and  Pets  of  Home  and  School 

I.  The  people  of  the  home  and  what  they  do: 

Mother;  father;  children. 
II.  Pets  of  home  and  school : 

Cat;  dog;  rabbit;  chicken. 

III.  What  the  people  and  pets  need : 

Food;  clothing;  shelter;  training. 

IV.  Special  days  celebrated  in  home  and  school : 

Hallowe'en;  Thanksgiving;  Christmas;  New 
Year;  St.  Valentine's  Day;  Washington's 
Birthday;  Arbor  Day;  Bird  Day. 

Surroundings  of  Home  and  School 

I.  Birds. 
II.  Flowers. 

III.  Trees. 

IV.  Landscape,  sky,  weather,  seasons. 

1  These  outlines  suggest  conversational  topics  suitable  for  opening 
exercises,  for  general  lessons,  and  for  supplementing  the  Primer 
and  First  Reader. 


10 


1 45 


146  Five  Messages 

EXPANDED  OUTLINE 

The  idea  in  presenting  the  following  outline  is  to  pro- 
vide a  unified,  though  flexible,  scheme  of  work  suggesting 
to  teachers  an  abundance  of  material  upon  which  to  base 
thought  lessons  for  all  possible  types  and  conditions  of 
first-grade  pupils.  It  is,  therefore,  not  intended  that 
any  one  class  shall  attempt  too  large  a  part  of  the  work 
suggested.  Some  classes  should  take  more  of  it  and 
others  less  according  to  their  ability. 

No  special'.,  attempt  is  made  to  present  new  or  original 
subject  matter,  the  idea  being  simply  to  bring  together 
a  body  of  material,  old  or  new,  from  which  each  first- 
grade  teacher  may  select  that  which  seems  best  suited 
to  her  use. 

Each  subject  is  here  given  as  a  whole,  not  in  parts,  in 
order  that  its  thread  of  thought  may  be  grasped  the  more 
easily.  Because  of  this  fact  teachers  cannot  start  at 
the  beginning  and  present  the  work  in  the  sequence  found 
on  these  pages,  but  must  select  the  proper  portion  of  each 
subject  for  each  month's  lessons.  The  index  for  Message 
Five  in  back  of  book  will  assist  them  in  doing  this. 

PEOPLE    AND    PETS  OF    HOME  AND  SCHOOL 
I.  The  People  of  the  Home  and  What  They  Do 

September 

Mother;  what  she  does: 
This  varies  according  to  the  different  homes,  but  in 

most  of  them  she 
Cares  for  the  children. 
Cares  for  the  home. 
Prepares  the  food. 
Buys  and  cares  for  the  clothing. 
Trains  the  children. 


To    Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         147 

October 
Father;  what  he  does: 

Helps  care  for  and  teach  the  children. 

Provides  money  for  home,  food,  clothing,  and  train- 
ing. 

September  and  October 

The  children;  what  they  do: 
Help  in  the  house. 
Do  chores  and  errands. 
Care  for  pets. 

Take  care  of  their  clothing. 
Try  to  do  things  that  keep  them  well. 
Keep  clean  and  tidy. 
Obey  their  parents. 
Show  kindness  and  courtesy  to  all. 

References 
stories 
"How  the  Home  was  Built,"  Mother  Stories. 
"The  Little  Traveler,"  Mother  Stories. 
"The  King's  Birthday,"  Mother  Stories. 
"Little  Deeds  of  Kindness,"  In  the  Child's  World. 
"The  'Wake-up'  Story,"  In  the  Child's  World. 
"What   Kept  the  New  Chimney  Waiting,"   For  the 
Children's  Hour. 

POEMS 

"Sleep,  Baby,  Sleep,"  Graded  Memory  Selections. 

"The  Baby,"  Graded  Memory  Selections. 

"Morning  Song,"  Graded  Memory  Selections. 

"A  Little  Child,"  Songs  of  Tree  Top  and  Meadow. 

"Lullaby,"  Christina  Rossetti. 

"Whenever  a  Little  Child  is  Born,"  Agnes  L.  Carter. 

"Little  Birdie,"  Tennyson. 

"Rock-a-bye,  Baby,"  Mother  Goose  Rhymes. 


148  Five  Messages 

SONGS   AND   GAMES 

"This  is  the  Mother,"  Songs  for  Little  Children,  Eleanor 

Smith. 
"The  Little  Housewife,"   Songs  of  the  Child  World, 

Part  I. 
"All  for  Baby,"  Finger  Plays. 

"Baby's  Lullaby,"  Songs  and  Games  for  Little  Ones. 
"Washing  Day,"  Holiday  Songs,  E.  Poulsson. 
"Song  of  Home  Work,"  Holiday  Songs. 
"Going  to  Market,"  Holiday  Songs. 
"Busy    Children,"    Merry    Songs    and    Games,    Clara 

Beeson  Hubbard. 
"Carpenter,"    Songs   and   Music   of  FroebeVs   Mother 

Plays. 
"Blacksmith,"  Songs  and  Music  of  FroebeVs  Mother 

Plays. 
"Johnny's  Trade,"  Merry  Songs  and  Games. 
"Sawing  Game,"  Merry  Songs  and  Games. 
"The  Family,"  Songs  and  Games  for  Little  Ones. 
"Sprinkling  the  Clothes,"  Holiday  Songs. 
"Trade  Game,"  Kindergarten  Chimes. 

II.  Pets  of  Home  and  School 

The  cat,  dog,  rabbit,  and  chicken  are  here  given  as 
being  representative  of  home  and  school  pets,  and  at 
the  same  time  most  practicable  for  this  purpose.  The 
leading  thought  is  to  cultivate  in  pupils  an  interest 
in  and  sympathy  for  the  animals  that  commonly  live 
in  or  about  the  home  by  making  them  familiar  with 
some  of  the  common  facts  of  their  lives.  At  no  point  is 
the  teaching  of  mere  scientific  facts  intended  to  enter 
the  work. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         iqg 

THE   CAT 
September  and  October 

Description  of  children's  cats: 

Size,  coat,  color,  name. 
What  the  cat  needs: 
Food: 

Kinds  of  food  she  likes  best. 
(Pass  lightly  over  the  mousing  habit.) 
How  often  she  should  eat. 
Traits  of  the  cat: 

How  she  tells  when  she  is  hungry. 
How  she  keeps  clean. 
How  she  plays. 

How  she  shows  when  she  is  pleased;  when  angry. 
Fear  of  dogs. 

How  she  cares  for  her  little  ones. 
How  children  can  care  for  cats: 
Provide  them  with  food  and  bed. 
See  that  they  are  protected  from  cruelty. 

References 
stories 

"Mrs.  Tabby  Gray,"  Mother  Stories. 

"A  Story  of  a  Mouse,"  Kindergarten  Stories  and  Morn- 
ing Talks. 

"The  Cat  and  the  Mice,"  Scudder's  Fables. 

"Dick  Whittington  and  His  Cat,"  Scudder's  Fables. 

"Mrs.  Chinchilla,"  The  Story  Hour. 

"My  Jet,"  In  the  Child's  World. 

" Spotty 's  Family,"  In  the  Child's  World. 

"How  it  Happened,"   When  First  We  Go  to  School, 
Helen  Beckwith. 

"The  Cat  and  the  Mouse,"  For  the  Children's  Hour. 

"Kit-Cat-Kit,"  Wee  Tales  for  Wee  People. 


150  Five  Messages 


"I  Love  Little  Pussy,"  Three  Years  with  the  Poets. 
"I  am  the  Family  Cat,"  Songs  of  Tree  Top  and  Meadow. 
"Seven  Little  Pussy-Cats, "  Mary  Mapes  Dodge. 
"Pussy's  Class,"  Mary  Mapes  Dodge. 
"Cat  Questions,"  Lucy  Larcom. 

SONGS   AND   GAMES 

"The  Cat's  Cradle,"  Finger  Plays. 

"Pussy,"  Songs  of  the  Child  World,  Part  II. 

"Pussy  Knows,"  First  Reader,  National  Music  Course. 

"I  Love  Little  Pussy,"  Small  Songs  for  Small  Singers. 

"The  Bad  Pussy,"  Small  Songs  for  Small  Singers. 

"  Pussy-Cat,  Pussy-Cat, "  Music  Primer,  Eleanor  Smith. 

"Kitty  Cat,  Kitty  Cat,"  Art  Song  Cycles,  Book  I. 

"Cat  and  Mouse,"  Holiday  Songs. 

"Cat  and  Mouse,"  Songs,  Roundels,  and  Games,  Suder. 

THE  DOG 
November  and  December 

Description  of  children's  dogs: 

Size,  coat,  ears,  legs,  feet. 
Food: 

Not  too  much. 

More  after  hearty  exercise. 

Heartier  food  in  cold  weather. 
Home: 

Where  he  stays  in  the  daytime;  at  night. 
Traits: 

Intelligence  and  bravery. 

Manner  of  talking. 

Faithfulness  to  master. 

Strength  and  -speed. 

Plays  and  tricks. 

Fondness  for  water;  how  he  drinks. 


To   Teachers   of  Primary  Reading         151 

Signs  of  pleasure;  of  anger. 

Dislike  for  strange  cats. 

How  the  mother  cares  for  her  little  ones;  how  she 
trains  them. 
Kinds  of  dogs  and  characteristics  of  each: 

House  dog:  companionship. 

Shepherd:  care  of  sheep. 

Newfoundland:  protecting  people  from  harm. 

St.  Bernard:  rescuing  people  from  snow. 

Eskimo  dog:  beast  of  burder. 
How  children  can  care  for  dogs. 

References 
stories 
"The  Open  Gate,"  Mother  Stories. 
"The  Closing  Door,"  Mother  Stories. 
"The  Journey,"  Mother  Stories. 
"Dickey  Smiley 's  Birthday,"  The  Story  Hour. 
"Moufflou,"  The  Story  Hour. 
"How  Frisk  came  Home,"  In  the  Child's  World. 
"How  Nibs  was  Cured,"  Wee  Tales  for  Wee  People. 

POEMS 

"My  Dog,"  Mary  Mapes  Dodge. 

"To  Flush,  My  Dog,"  E.  B.  Browning. 

"Little  Dog  under  the  Wagon,"  Songs  and  Rhymes  for 

Little  Ones,  Morrison. 
"The  Duel,"  Eugene  Field. 

SONGS   AND   GAMES 

"Barnyard  Song,"  Holiday  Songs. 

"Jack,"  The  Child's  Song  Book. 

"The   Kitten   and   the   Bow-wow,"   Small  Songs  for 

Small  Singers. 
"Quess,"  Small  Songs  for  Small  Singers. 


ij2  Five  Messages 

"Six  Little  Puppies,"  Small  Songs  for  Small  Singers. 
"Hunter  and  Dog,"  Songs,  Roundels,  and  Games. 

THE   RABBIT 
January 

Description,  from  memory,  of  rabbits  children  have 
seen. 

Size,  color,  ears,  tail,  food,  traits. 
Caring  for  and  observing  a  pet  rabbit  kept  in   the 

schoolroom. 
What  it  needs: 
Food: 

From  plants,  not  animals. 

Roots:   especially  carrots,  turnips,   and  parsnips; 
leaves:  lettuce,   cabbage,   parsley,   tops  of  car- 
rots,   and  some  other  leaves;  stems  and  twigs; 
fruits,  especially  apples;  hay,  especially  clover; 
grass;  bread;  water  for  drinking. 
Cage  with  wire-netting  front. 
Sawdust  over  bottom  of  box. 
Dish  of  water. 
Fresh  air. 
Sufficient  heat. 
Traits: 

How  it  breathes,  eats,  moves. 
Postures  it  takes:  asleep,  awake. 
How  it  uses  its  ears,  eyes,  and  nose. 
How  it  burrows. 
How  it  keeps  clean. 
How  it  makes  friends. 
Brief  study  of  the  life  of  the  wild  rabbit. 
Home: 

A  burrow  dug  in  the  grass,  brush,  or  snow;  nest 
of  the  young  lined  with  the  fur  which  the  mother 
rabbit  plucks  from  her  own  breast. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         153 

Food: 

Many  plants  (often  destroying  gardens  in  summer) . 

Almost  any  green  plant  in  winter,  often  bark  of 
trees  (thus  destroying  them). 
Enemies : 

Dogs,  cats,  hawks,  men. 
Protection  from  enemies: 

Keen  sight  and  hearing. 

Protective  coloring. 

Swiftness  in  running. 
Night  habits  when  enemies  are  not  near  to  molest. 

(Tracks  in  snow.) 
Protection  for  winter: 

Fur  thicker  and  longer. 

References 

STORIES 

"Brer  Rabbit  Stories,"  Nights  with  Uncle  Remus. 
"Peter  Rabbit,"  Beatrice  Potter. 
"Raggylug,"  Ernest  Thompson-Seton. 
"China  Rabbit  Family,"  In  the  Child's  World. 
"The  Hare  and  the  Tortoise,"  JEsop's  Fables. 
"The  Sheep  and  the  Pig,"  For  the  Children's  Hour. 
"Trottino,"  Through  the  Farmyard  Gate. 

SONGS   AND   GAMES 

"Tracks  in  the  Snow,"  Songs  of  the  Child  World,  Part  I. 
"Hop,  Little  Rabbit,"  The  Child's  Song  Book. 
"The  Bunny,"  Small  Songs  for  Small  Singers. 
"Foot  Prints,"  Small  Songs  for  Small  Singers. 
"Hare  in  the  Hollow,"  Children's  Singing  Games. 

THE   CHICKEN 
March  and  April 

Description  by  children  of  chickens  kept  at  their  homes 

or  at  the  homes  of  neighbors : 


1 54  Five  Messages 

Color,  size,  food,  traits. 

(If  there  are  none  near,  the  teacher  should  arrange 
to  have  at  least  one  hen  kept  where  the  children 
may  observe  and  help  care  for  her.) 
Food: 

Table  scraps,   wheat,   corn,   corn  meal,   bugs,   and 

worms. 
How  much  she  needs  at  one  time,  and  how  often 

she  needs  to  be  fed. 
Water  for  drinking. 
Traits: 

Picking  and  scratching. 
Fluttering  in  the  dirt. 
Taking  sun  baths. 
Keeping  clean. 
Manner  of  drinking. 
Going  to  bed  early. 
Manner  of  roosting. 
Getting  up  early. 
Cackling,  clucking,  "singing." 
Hatching,  caring  for,  and  teaching  her  little  ones. 
Uses  to  man: 
Giving  him  eggs. 
Raising  little  ones. 
Needs : 
Have  pupils  care  for  a  hen  kept  near  the  school  or 
in  the  school  basement  while  she  sits  on  her  eggs 
and  hatches  her  brood. 
Caring  for  the  little  chicks  for  a  week  after  they 
hatch. 

References 
stories 
"The   Little   Rooster,"   Boston   Collection   of  Kinder- 
garten Stories. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         155 

"The  Hen  Hawk,"  Boston  Collection  of  Kindergarten 

Stories. 
"The  Lost  Chicken,"  In  the  Child's  World. 
"The  Story  of  Speckle,"  In  the  Child's  World. 
"The  Little  Red  Hen,"   The  Teacher's  Story  Teller's 

Book. 

POEMS 

"The  Chickens,"  Songs  of  Tre?  Top  and  Meadow. 
"Chicken's  Mistake,"  Phcebe  Cary. 

SONGS   AND   GAMES 

"The  Hen  and  the  Chickens,"  Finger  Plays. 

"Little  Red  Hen,"  The  Child's  Song  Book. 

"Five  Little  Chickens,"  The  Child's  Song  Book. 

"Each  Mother  Loves  Best,"  Song  Stories  for  the  Kinder- 
garten. 

"Mr.  Rooster  and  Mrs.  Hen,"  Songs  of  the  Child 
World,  Part  I. 

"See  the  Chickens  Round  the  Gate,"  Songs  in  Season, 
Marian  George. 

III.  What  People  and  Pets  Need 

A  general  discussion  should  be  had  concerning  the 
things  people  must  have  to  keep  them  alive  and  happy. 
Pupils  should  be  induced  to  observe  and  investigate  at 
home  until  they  report  the  following  (perhaps  among 
many  irrelevant  items) .  Food,  clothing,  homes,  and 
training.  In  this  manner  four  subjects  may  be  opened 
up  which  are  to  be  continued  in  different  phases  through- 
out the  year. 

FOOD 
September,  October,  November 

Kinds  eaten  commonly  by  the  people  of  the  home. 

Kinds  eaten  commonly  by  the  pets  of  the  home. 


Jj6  Five  Messages 

Foods  that  grow  in  the  garden;  on  trees;  on  vines;  in 

the  ground. 
Seeds  that  we  eat: 

Beans;  peas;  grains,  including  corn,  nuts. 

How  these  seeds  grow : 

In  pods,  husks,  and  shells,  for  protection. 
Seeds  that  birds  eat. 
How  seeds  are  prepared  for  food. 
Fruits  that  we  eat: 
Collection  of  fruits  by  pupils. 
Grouping  fruits  brought  according  to  characteristics 

of  shape,  stem,  skin,  pulp,  and  seeds. 
Leading  pupils  to  see  how  the  different  fruits  protect 

their  seeds. 
How  different 'fruits  grow: 

On  trees,  vines. 
How  people  keep  fruit  (and  vegetables)  for  winter: 

Canning;   preserving;   pickling;   drying;   storing,   or 
packing  away  fresh. 
How  different  fruits  (and  vegetables)  are  harvested. 

December  and  January 

How  foods  are  brought  to  our  homes,  and  the  various 

ways  we  prepare  and  use  them. 
What  foods  are  best  for  us. 
How  and  when  we  should  eat  them. 
(This    is    the  beginning  of  temperance.     See  health 

lessons,  p.  174.) 
Children  who  have  to  go  hungry. 
Our  winter  food  compared  with  that  of  the  Eskimo. 

February 

Foods  given  us  by  animals: 

Milk,  butter,  cheese,  meat,  eggs. 
Making  butter. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         157 
References 

STORIES 

'The  Story  Milk  Told  Me,"  In  the  Child's  World. 

'Nero  at  the  Bakery,"  In  the  Child's  World. 

'The  Sleeping  Apple,"  In  the  Child's  World. 

'Milk,  Butter  and  Cheese,"  Kindergarten  Stories  and 

Morning  Talks. 
'The   Little   Cookie   Boy,"   Kindergarten  Stories  and 

Morning  Talks. 
'The  Tomato  Story,"  For  the  Children's  Hour. 
'  The  Wonderful  Porridge  Pot,"  For  the  Children's  Hour. 
'The  Gingerbread  Boy,"  For  the  Children's  Hour. 
'The  Two  Little  Cooks,"  For  the  Children's  Hour. 

POEMS 

'The  Johnny  Cake,"  The  Teacher's  Story  Teller's  Book. 
'An  Autumn  Riddle,"  Three  Years  with  the  Poets. 
'The  Story  of  a  Seed,"  Songs  of  Tree  Top  and  Meadow. 
'The  Gingerbread  Man,"  For  the  Children's  Hour. 
'The  Cow,"  A  Child's  Garden  of  Verses. 

SONGS   AND   GAMES 

'Making  Butter,"  Finger  Plays. 

'Making  Bread,"  Finger  Plays. 

'How  the  Corn  Grew,"  Finger  Plays. 

'The  Mill,"  Finger  Plays. 

'Pat-a-Cake,"  Merry  Songs  and  Games. 

'Leaves,  Fruits,  and  Flowers,"  Holiday  Songs. 

'Song  of  the  Loaf  of  Bread,"  Songs  of  the  Child  World, 

Part  I. 
'The  Windmill,"  Kindergarten  Chimes,  Kate  Douglas 

Wiggin. 
'The  Muffin  Man,"  Children's  Singing  Games. 
'The  Farmer,"  Merry  Songs  and  Games. 
'Hasten  to  the  Meadow,"  Merry  Songs  and  Games. 


1 58  Five  Messages 

The  Garden 
March  to  June 

Foods  given  us  by  plants. 

Enumeration  of  these. 

Garden  making. 

Raising  a  garden. 

Examination  of  the  list  of  garden  foods  reported  in 

October. 
Which  of  these  could  be  raised  in  the  schoolroom  before 

the  close  of  school  in  June?     (Lettuce,  radishes.) 
What  is  necessary  in  order  to  raise  these  vegetables? 

1.  Seeds: 

Find  where  to  get  them;  when,  where,  and  how  to 
plant  them. 

2.  Soil: 

What  kind  is  best.  Sample  bottles  of  soil  (one 
of  sand,  one  of  clay,  and  one  of  vegetable  mold) 
taken  home  to  parents  to  discuss  as  to  suita- 
bility for  garden.  Examination  of  good  garden 
soil,  composed  of  sand,  clay,  and  vegetable 
mold  followed  by  a  comparison  between  it  and 
each  of  the  sample  bottles  taken  home.  Why 
each  of  the  three  kinds  of  soil  is  needed  in  the 
garden.     (Food,  consistency,  drainage.) 

3.  Water: 

Observation  of  seeds  kept  in  two  different  dishes, 

one  containing  water,  the  other  dry,  to  ascertain 

the  effect  of  water  upon  them. 
Observation  of  growing  plants,  one  watered,  the 

other  neglected,  to  ascertain  the  effect  of  water 

upon  them. 
Ascertaining  what  time  of  day  and  how  often  the 

garden  should  be  watered. 


To    Teachers   of  Primary  Reading         ijq 

Discussing  possible  sources  of  water  for  school 
gardens:  Rain;  water  brought  from  river,  lake, 
well,  hydrant. 

4.  Heat: 

Observation  of  seeds  kept  in  two  different  dishes 
of  water,  one  in  a  warm  place  and  the  other  in  a 
very  cool  place.  Discussion  as  to  effect  of  heat 
upon  them. 

Possible  sources  of  heat  for  gardens. 

The  sun  for  outdoor  gardens ;  stoves  or  furnace  for 
indoor  gardens. 

Discussion  as  to  what  effect  Jack  Frost  would 
have  upon  a  new  garden. 

Garden  not  to  be  planted  too  early. 

5.  Light: 

Observation  of  difference  in  color  between  plants 

grown  in  darkness  and  those   grown  in  light 

(celery,    potato   sprouts),    with  the  conclusion 

that  plants  must  have  light  to  make  them  green. 

Finding  the  part  that  grows,  or  the  plantlet,  of  a  soaked 

bean;  also  the  coats  and  store  of  food. 
Planting  beans,  flax,  peas,  or  other  seeds  in  different 
ways  so  as  to  observe  growth  of  roots,  stems,  and 
leaves:     On  wet  blotting  paper;  in  moist  sponge,  on 
mosquito  netting  tied  over  the  top  of  a  glass  of  water; 
in  pine  cones. 
Choosing  a  garden  spot  that    meets  the   above    re- 
quirements of  soil,  water,  heat,  and  light. 

An  out-of-door  garden  is  preferable  to  others,  but,  if 
impossible,  a  window  garden  may  be  substituted  for  it. 
Preparing  the  ground  for  the  seeds: 

Spading;  pulverizing;  marking  off;  making  rows. 
Planting  the  seeds  according  to  information   gained 
through  inquiry. 


160  Five  Messages 

Caring  for  the  garden : 

Watering,  weeding,  and  keeping  harmful  insects  out. 
Parts  of  plants  eaten: 

Leaves  of  lettuce. 

Roots  of  radishes  and  several  fall  vegetables. 

Seeds.     (See  October  outline.) 

Fruits.     (See  November  outline.) 

Stems:  celery,  rhubarb,  asparagus. 
Serving  the  lettuce  and  radishes  grown  in  the  school 

garden  at  a  school  party  given  to  parents. 

References 
stories 
"Lame  Boy's  Garden,"  When  First  We  Go  to  School. 
"Jimmy's  Harvest,"  When  First  We  Go  to  School. 
"How  the  Beans  Came  Up,"  In  the  Child's  World. 
"The  Farmer  and  the  Birds,"  In  the  Child's  World. 
"Straw,  Bean,  and  Coal,"  McMurry's  Classic  Stories. 
"Ten  Peas  in  a  Pod,"  Boston  Collection  of  Kindergarten 
Stories. 

POEMS 

"Mystery  of  the  Seed,"  Lucy  Larcom. 
"The  Gardener,"  Robert  Louis  Stevenson. 
"Farewell  to  the  Farm,"  Robert  Louis  Stevenson. 
"In  the  Heart  of  a  Seed,"   Songs  of  Tree  Top  and 

Meadow. 
"Hiawatha's  Fasting"  (Mondamin),  Longfellow. 

SONGS   AND   GAMES 

"Careful  Gardener,"  Songs  and  Games  for  Little  Ones, 

Harriet  S.  Jenks. 
"Little  Gardens,"  Songs  and  Games  for  Little  Ones. 
"Garden  Bed,"  Merry  Songs  and  Games. 
"Garden  Gate,"  Merry  Songs  and  Games. 
"The  Little  Plant,"  Finger  Plays. 


To    Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  161 

"The  Garden,"  Holiday  Songs. 

"Let  Us  Make  a  Garden,"  Lilts  and  Lyrics,  Gaynor. 

"Oats,  Peas,  Beans,  and  Barley  Grow,"  Children's  Old 

and  New  Singing  Games. 
"  Garden  Game,"  Children's  Old  and  New  SingingGames. 
"The  Farmer  is  Coming,"  Songs,  Roundels,  and  Games. 
"The  Farmer's  Daughter,"  A  Book  of  Song  Games  and 

Ball  Games. 
"  The  Gleaners,"  A  Book  of  Song  Games  and  Ball  Games. 

CLOTHING 
October,  November,  January 
Care  of  clothing : 

How  mother  and  maid  care  for  it  : 

Washing,  ironing,  mending. 
How  children  can  help : 

Keeping  clothes  clean. 

Not  tearing  them. 
How  our  clothing  varies  according  to  season. 
How  the  covering  of  animals  varies  according  to 

season,  thickening  in  autumn  and  being  shed  in 

spring. 
List  of  animals  whose  covering  is  thus  affected. 
Our  clothing  compared  with  the  fur  and  skin  clothing 

worn  by  Eskimos. 

References 
stories 
"A  Visit  to  the  Weaver,"  In  the  Child's  World. 
"Molly's  Lamb,"  In  the  Child's  World. 
"Philip's  Suit,"  The  Four  Wonders. 
"The  Field  of  Cotton,"  The  Four  Wonders. 
"Linen,"  The  Four  Wonders. 
"The  Flax,"  In  the  Child's  World. 
11 


162  Five  Messages 

"The  Calico's  Story,"  For  the  Children's  Hour. 

"  Missy  and  the  Little  Green  Men,"  The  Four  Wonders. 

"Cotton,"  The  Four  Wonders. 

"The  Cotton  Fields,"  How  We  Are  Clothed,  Chamber- 
lain. 

"Wool,"  The  Four  Wonders. 

"Woolen  Cloth  and  Clothing,"  How  We  Are  Clothed, 
Chamberlain. 

"Our  Flax  Field,"  The  Four  Wonders. 

"A  Field  of  Flax,"  How  We  Are  Clothed,  Chamberlain. 

"Silk,"  The  Four  Wonders. 

"The  Work  of  the  Silkworm,"  How  We  Are  Clothed, 
Chamberlain. 

"How  Faith  Got  a  New  Dress,"  The  Four  Wonders. 

POEMS 

"The  Flax  Flower,"  In  the  Child's  World. 
"The  Silkworm,"  In  the  Child's  World. 

SONGS  AND   GAMES 

"The  Happy  Lambkins,"  Songs  of  the  Child  World, 

Part  I. 
"  Song  of  the  Shearer,"  Songs  of  the  Child  World,  Part  I. 
"Spinning  the  Yarn,"  Songs  of  the  Child  World,  Part  I. 
"The  Silkworm,"  Music  Primer,  Eleanor  Smith. 
"To  the  Silkworm,"  The  Four  Wonders. 
"The  Shoemaker,"  Songs  and  Games  for  Little  Ones. 
"Spinning  Song"  (Flax),  The  Four  Wonders. 
"Spinning  Song"  (Wool),  The  Four  Wonders. 
"Mammy's  Night  Song"  (Cotton),  The  Four  Wonders. 

SHELTER 

December 

Why  people  need  homes : 

To  protect  them  from  the  cold  of  winter;  the  heat 
of  summer;  the  storms  of  the  whole  year. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         i6j 

So  that  families  may  live  together. 

Enumeration  of  things  people  could  not  do  without 

homes. 
A  study  of  our  homes : 

Enumeration  of  things  done  in  them. 

Cooking,  eating,  sleeping,  baching,  washing  and 
ironing,  sewing,  reading,  visiting,  playing. 
The  rooms  of  our  homes ;  use  and  furnishings : 

Kitchen:  cooking. 

Dining  room :  eating. 

Pantry :  storing  food  and  dishes. 

Cellar:  storing  food. 

Bedrooms:  sleeping. 

Bathroom:  bathing. 

Laundry :  washing  and  ironing. 

Living  room :  family  gatherings. 

Library:  reading. 

Children's  room :  playing. 
Telling  of  homes  that  have  all  these  rooms ;  also  of 

those  having  fewer,  where  one  room  serves  more 

than  one  of  the  purposes  suggested  above. 
How  the  rooms  of  the  school  are  different  from  those 

of  the  home. 
Why? 

The  Playhouse 
January  to  May 

Furnishing  a  playhouse.     (A  means  of  expressing  the 
study  of  the  home.) 

Suggestive  plan  for  the  house ' 

A  two-story  house  of  four  rooms:  kitchen,  dining 
room,  bedroom,  living  room.  Each  room  eleven  inches 
wide,  eleven  inches  long,  and  eight  inches  high.  Ground 
plan  of  house  eleven  inches  deep  and  twenty-two  inches 
wide.     Partitions,    making    two    rooms    on    each  floor. 


164  Five  Messages 

Ceiling  of  second  story  sixteen  inches  from  ground  floor. 
Roof  above  of  proper  slant. 

These  dimensions  may  be  increased  or  diminished  to 
suit  the  taste  of  the  teacher,  provided  the  proper  propor- 
tions are  maintained.  The  house  may  be  made  in  a  very 
crude  way  or  in  a  more  finished  fashion.  An  orange  box 
may  be  remodeled  very  easily  to  suit  the  purpose,  or  a 
real  little  house  may  be  built  of  regulation  materials. 
Walls: 

Papered  with  drawing  paper,  tinted  by  pupils  with 
a  plain  wash  of  water  color,  or  decorated  by  some 
simple  design. 
Floors : 

Rugs,  woven  from  woolen  yarn,  carpet  warp,  or 
raffia,  or  braided  from  raffia  or  strips  of  cloth, 
then  sewed  together. 
Chairs,   tables,   bed,   dresser,   bookcase,   stove,   and 
other  things : 
May  be  folded  from  paper,  made  from  cardboard 
covered  with  cloth,  or  made  of  thin  wood  sawed 
out  by  means  of  a  coping  or  cabinet  saw. 
Dishes  and  kitchen  utensils: 

Made  from  clay  if  they  can  be  fired  in  kiln;  if  not, 
provided  from  set  of  toys. 
Hangings : 

Window  curtains:  muslin  or  tissue  paper. 
Door  hangings:  fringe  made  of  ravelings;  or  fine 
strands  of  braided  raffia;  or  strings  of  beads;  or 
very  small  paper  chains. 
Pictures : 
Appropriate  pictures  for  the  different  rooms  chosen 
from  the  half-penny  Perry  or  Brown  pictures. 
Frames  made  by  paper  folding  or  made  by 
arranging  small  designs  cut  from  wall  paper  in 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  165 

the  shape  of  frames  and  pasted  on  to  cardboard ; 
or  made  by  winding  raffia  over  a  circular  card- 
board with  center  cut  out. 
Miscellaneous  articles : 

Clocks,  pianos,  telephones,  and  the  like. 

Heat 
January 

The  necessity  of  heat  in  home  and  school : 
To  people,  animals,  plants. 
Children  whose  homes  are  poorly  heated. 
For  cooking. 

List  of  foods  that  are  usually  or  always  cooked. 
Ways  of  applying  heat  for  cooking,  boiling,  baking, 
frying;  for  washing,  ironing,  bathing,  cleaning. 
Sources  of  heat : 
Artificial  — 

Stoves :  different  purposes. 
Kinds:  wood,  coal,  gas. 
Fireplaces;  how  fed. 

Furnaces;  how  fed;  how  the  heat  gets  into  the 
rooms  from  the  furnace. 
Natural  — 
Sun;  difference  between  temperature  of  day  with 
sun,  and  of  night  without  it;  cold  of  winter 
caused  by  lack  of  heat  from  sun  necessitating 
artificial  heat;  severe  cold  of  northland  winter 
caused  by  absence  of  sun. 

References 
stories 
"How  the  Spark  of  Fire  Was  Saved,"  Nature  Myths, 

Flora  J.  Cooke. 
"The  Secret  of  Fire,"  Nature  Myths,  Flora  J.  Cooke. 
"The  Porcelain  Stove,"  The  Story  Hour. 


i66  Five  Messages 

"How  Beaver  Stole  Fire  from  the  Pines,"  Alice Krack- 

owizer. 
"  How  Coal  is  Made,"  Kindergarten  Stories  and  Morning 

Talks. 
"The   Sunbeams,"    Boston   Collection   of  Kindergarten 

Stories. 
"The  Story  of  Phaeton,"  For  the  Children's  Hour. 

POEMS 

"Armies  in  the  Fire,"  Robert  Louis  Stevenson. 
"Autumn  Fires,"  Robert  Louis  Stevenson. 
"The  Sun's  Travels,"  Robert  Louis  Stevenson. 

SONGS   AND   GAMES 

"The  Firemen,"  Music  Primer,  Eleanor  Smith. 
"Sunbeams,"  Holiday  Songs. 

"Sing  a  Song  of  Iron,"  Songs  oj the  Child  World,  Part  I. 
"Fire  Bells,"  First  Reader,  New  Educational  Music 

Course. 
"God  Sends  His  Bright  Spring  Sun,"  Songs  for  Little 

Children. 
"God  Sends  His  Bright  Warm  Summer  Sun,"  Song 

Stories  for  the  Kindergarten. 

Our  homes  and  home  life  in  winter  may  be  compared 
with  the  winter  homes  and  home  life  of  the  Eskimos. 

The  following  outline  is  given  as  a  basis  for  such  com- 
parison: 

Eskimo  Winter  Life 
January 

Igloo  for  home: 

Made  of  big  blocks  of  icy  snow  frozen  together; 

shape  of  large  eggshell;   small,   low  hole   in    the 

side  for  a  doorway;  skin  hung  at  this  to  serve  as 

door ;  long  tunnel  for  a  hallway,  through  which  the 

Eskimos  creep,  taking  the  place  of  our  storm  door. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         167 

One  small  room,  usually  without  a  window.     Some- 
times one  window  covered  with  skin. 
Walls  and  floor  of  snow. 
Furniture : 

Chairs,  tables,  and  beds  all  in  one,  consisting  of  a 
bench  made  of  snow  packed  against  the  wall  and 
made  comfortable  by  skin  covering. 
Stove  and  lamp,  consisting  of  a  hollow  stone  or 
shell  that  holds  oil;  wicks  of  dry  moss  found  on 
rocks  under  the  snow;  serves  for  cooking,  melting 
drinking  water,  heating,  lighting,  and  drying. 
Food: 

Flesh  and  fat  of  animals  hunted  and  killed  by  the 

father. 
Why  no  other  food? 
Occupations : 
Father: 

Builds  igloo ;  hunts  animals  and  catches  fish  for  food 
to  eat  and  for  fat  to  burn;   makes  sleds   and 
drives  dog  team ;  sits  about  the  fire  of  the  igloo. 
Mother: 

Keeps  fire;  hunts  wicks  on  the  rocks  under  the 
snow;  cooks  food  and  melts  snow  for  drinking; 
scrapes  skins  of  animals  and  prepares  them  for 
clothing;  makes  clothing  out  of  these  skins; 
cares  for  children;  sits  about  the  fire  of  the  igloo. 
Children : 

No  school;  snowballing;  racing;  rolling  down  hill; 
coasting  games  on  ice;  riding  on  sleds  drawn 
by  dogs;  sitting  or  playing  about  fire. 
Sky  and  weather  in  Eskimo  land: 

Night  time  all  winter;  very  cold  in  winter  because 

sun  does  not  shine;  many  snowstorms. 
Stars  very  bright  when  sky  is  clear. 


168  Five  Messages 

References 

stories 
"How  Agoonack  Made  Her  Doll,"  Eskimo  Stories. 
"The  New  Baby,"  Eskimo  Stories. 
"A  Little  Arctic  Girl,"  Little  Folks  from  Other  Lands. 
"Children  of  the  Arctic,"  Mrs.  Peary. 
"The  Ice  Sleds,"  Eskimo  Stories. 
"Toolooah"  (A  Dog  Story),  Eskimo  Stories. 

POEMS 

"Foreign  Children,"  Robert  Louis  Stevenson. 

SONGS  AND   GAMES 

"The  Happy  Eskimo,"  Music  Primer,  Eleanor  Smith. 
"In  Greenland,"  Art  Song  Cycles,  Book  I. 

REFERENCE   BOOKS 

Eskimo  Stories,  Smith. 

Hans  the  Eskimo,  Scandlin. 

Little  People  of  the  Snow,  Muller. 

The  Children  of  the  Cold,  Schwatka. 

Little  Folks  of  Other  Lands,  Chance. 

Child  Life  in  Many  Lands,  Perdue  and  La  Victoire. 

Light 
February 

The  necessity  of  light  in  home  and  school: 
Light  a  necessity  for  seeing  things. 
Difficulties  we  would  encounter  without  light. 
The  blessing  of  eyesight,   and  care  of  eyes.     (See 

health  lessons,  p.  177.) 
Use  of  windows  in  daytime. 
Natural  lights:     Sun,  moon,  stars. 
The  light  of  the  sun  used  at  school. 
Days  now  getting  longer,  so  more  light  from  sun. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         i6q 

Light  of  sun  compared  with  that  of  moon  and  stars 
as  to  intensity,  time  of  shining,  and  consequent 
usefulness. 

Frequency  of  the  visits  of  the  sun  to  us  compared 
with  that  of  its  visits  to  Eskimo  land. 
Artificial    lights:     Lamps,    gas,    electricity,    lanterns, 

candles,  firelight. 

How  lamps  and  lanterns  are  fed. 

How  gas  and  electricity  are  supplied. 

How  and  of  what  candles  are  made. 

Firelight  best  seen  from  fireplace. 

What  the  first  lights  were;  what  the  later  ones  were. 

References 
stories 

"Linda  and  the  Lights,"  In  the  Child's  World. 

"The   Legend   of   the    Great    Dipper,"    Kindergarten 
Stories. 

"The  Old  Street  Lamp,"  For  the  Children's  Hour. 

"The  Candles,"  For  the  Children  s  Hour. 

"The  Sun's  Sisters,"  For  the  Children's  Hour. 

"Bennie's    Sunshine,"    Boston    Collection    of     Kinder- 
garten Stories. 

"The  Golden  Windows,"  Laura  Richards. 

"The  Child  and  the  Stars,"  Christ  Tales,  Hofer. 

POEMS 

"The  Lamplighter,"  A  Child's  Garden  of  Verses. 
"The  Sun's  Travels,"  A  Child's  Garden  of  Verses. 
"Bed  in  Summer,"  A  Child's  Garden  of  Verses. 
"My  Shadow,"  A  Child's  Garden  of  Verses. 
"Lady  Moon,"  Songs  of  Tree  Top  and  Meadow. 
"Twinkle,  Twinkle,  Little  Star,"  Songs  of  Tree  Top 
and  Meadow. 


170  Five  Messages 

SONGS  AND   GAMES 

"The  Electric  Light,"  Songs  of  the  Child  World,  Part  II. 

"The  Moon  is  Playing  Hide  and  Seek,"  Small  Songs 

for  Small  Singers. 

"Light  and  Shadow,"  Song  Stories. 

"The  Sunshine's  Message,"  Song  Stories. 

"Good  Morning,   Merry  Sunshine,"  Songs  for  Little 

Children. 

Air  J 

March 

The  necessity  of  fresh  air  in  home  and  school.     (See 
health  lessons,  p.  175.) 
How  fresh  air  gets  into  our  schoolrooms. 
How  fresh  air  gets  into  our  homes. 

Investigation  of  the  ventilating  system,  finding  cur- 
rents of  fresh  air  coming  in  and  of  impure  air  pass- 
ing out. 

Water 
April 

The  necessity  of  water  in  home  and  school. 

Needed  to  sustain  life  in  people,  plants,  and  animals. 

A  convenience  in  cooking.  List  of  foods  that  are 
boiled. 

A  necessity  for  bathing,  washing  clothes,  and  clean- 
ing. 

Emphasis  upon  the  necessity  for  bathing  regularly 
face,  hands,  teeth,  and  whole  body.  (See  health 
lessons,  p.  173.) 

Usefulness  of  water  for  cleaning  and  beautifying 
home  and  school. 

References 
stories 

"Tom,   the  Water   Baby,"   Kindergarten  Stories  and 
Morning  Talks. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         171 

"The   Crow  and  the   Pitcher,"   Kindergarten  Stories 

and  Morning  Talks. 
"The    Vapor    Family,"    Cat    Tails    and   Other    Tales, 

Mary  H.  Howliston. 
"The  Little  Hero  of  Harlem,"  In  the  Child's  World. 
"Aqua,  the  Water  Baby,"  The  Story  Hour. 
"The  Brook  and  the  Water  Wheel,"  In  the  Child's 

World. 

POEMS 

"Where  Go  the  Boats,"  A  Child's  Garden  of  Verses. 
"The  Runaway  Brook,"   Three  Years  with  the  Poets. 
"The  Brook,"  Tennyson. 

SONGS   AND   GAMES 

"Fishes  at  Play,"  Holiday  Songs. 
"The  Sailor,"  Songs  of  the  Child  World,  Part  I. 
"The  River,"  Songs  of  the  Child  World,  Part  I. 
"Boating  Song,"  Songs  of  the  Child  World,  Part  I. 
"The  Sailor  Boy,"  A  Book  of  Song  Games  and  Ball 
Games. 

TRAINING 
September  to  June 

The  people  of  the  school;  who  they  are,  what  they 

have  and  do:    Teacher,   pupils.     Members  of  the 

family  who  go  to  school.     Why  all  do  not  go. 

The  idea  here  is  to  impress  pupils  with  the  thought 

that  they  have  other  needs  besides  those  of  a  material 

nature;  that  they  need  many  good  habits  if  they  are  to 

become  useful  men  and  women ;  that  these  can  be  formed 

only  by  means  of  long  and  steady  effort. 

These  habits  may  be  explained  to  pupils  as  those  that 
are  good  for  their  minds;  their  bodies;  their  behavior. 

While  it  is  expected  that  the  home  will  do  all  it  can 
toward  the  formation  of  good  habits  in  its  children,  it 


172  Five  Messages 

is  the  chief  function  of  the  school  to  impress  these  upon 
its  pupils. 

School  Exercises 

Observations,    reports,    and    discussions   related   to 

subjects  of  study. 
Reading  and  word  study. 
Seat  work. 
Games. 
Songs. 
Stories. 
Poems. 
Cutting. 
Handwork. 

Drawing  and  painting. 
Sand-table  modeling. 
Taking  walks. 
Collecting  specimens. 
Celebrating  holidays. 
How  all  can  help  to  make  the  schoolroom  pleasant. 
By  keeping  it  clean: 

Not  tracking  in  mud. 

Selecting  committees  for  care   of   floor,   boards, 
and  cloakroom;  also  for  dusting  and  cleaning 
erasers. 
By  keeping  it  in  order: 

Care  of  desks. 

Clippings  put  into  trays. 

Seat  work  not  dropped  on  floor. 

Committees  for  arrangement  of  material;  places 
for  erasers  and  other  equipment. 
By  decoration: 

Wild  flowers  of  autumn  and  spring. 

Autumn  leaves. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         173 

Window  plants. 
Putting  up  children's  work. 
Putting  up  pictures  selected  by  children. 
Teacher's  drawings  on  board. 
Simplicity  is  the  keynote  to  artistic  decoration.     Use 
good  taste  in  arrangement.     Decorations  should  always 
be  in  keeping  with  the  season  and  the  subject  or  subjects 
under  discussion. 

Avoid  too  many  decorations.  Avoid  the  use  of  colored 
crayons;  drawings  in  black  and  white  are  usually  most 
effective. 

How  each  pupil  helps  to  make  a  good  school. 
By  coming  every  day  and  being  on  time. 
By  being  clean  and  tidy. 
By  working,  and  obeying  the  teacher. 
By  being  kind,  courteous,  and  cheerful. 
By  being  honest  and  truthful. 

Physical  Training 

One  phase  of  training  too  often  neglected  by  teachers 
is   that   which  affects  the  physical   welfare   of   pupils. 
Because  of  this  fact  the  following  outline  is  inserted. 
Being  neat  and  clean: 
Illustrations  of  canary   birds,    robins,    ducks,    and 

kittens  bathing. 
Daily  mention  of  those  whose  faces,  hands,  and  hair 

are  neat  and  clean. 
Uses  of  the  hands  and  how  cleanliness  helps. 
Care  of  the  nails. 

Necessity  of  daily  attention. 

Teaching  the  use  of  nail  files,  orange  sticks,  and 

toothpicks. 
Impressing  bad  effects  upon  stomach,  teeth,  and 
hands  of  biting  the  nails. 


1J4  Five  Messages 

Care  of  the  hair. 

How  to  keep  it  soft  and  silky  by  brushing. 

Pupils  taught  to  have  brushes  of  their  own  and  to 

brush  their  own  hair. 
How  to  wash  the  hair:    On  a  warm  day  or  in  a 
warm  room;  dry  thoroughly. 
A  point  made  of  neat  and  clean  clothes. 

Each  child  responsible  for  keeping  his  desk  orderly 

and  the  floor  under  it  clean. 
Cleanliness  and  neatness  made  a  fashion. 
Food: 

Emphasizing  the  child's  necessity  for  growth. 
Recording  the  height  of  pupils  (one  or  all)  and  keeping 
a  record  of  the  same  to  compare  with  height  after 
they  have  grown  more,  the  point  being  to  impress 
the  fact  of  growth.  Food  necessary  for  growth 
and  strength. 
Stories  of  children  who  have  been  fed  well  and  of 

those  who  have  not. 
Kinds  of  food  that  are  best  for  children :    Eggs,  milk, 
cereal  foods;  brown  bread;  nuts;  fresh,  ripe  fruits; 
vegetables;  cocoa  or  chocolate;  a  little  pure  candy 
eaten  just  after  meals. 
Let  teachers  use  their  influence  for  wholesome  food  and 
against  hot  bread,  rich  cakes  and  pies,  fancy  puddings, 
greasy  meats  and  gravies,  pickles,  coffee  and  tea,  and 
much  candy. 

Here  is  another  opportunity  for  temperance  lessons. 
The  child  who  develops  power  to  control  his  appetite  for 
such  foods  is  very  apt  to  find,  in  maturity,  strength  to 
govern  his  appetite  for  stronger  things. 

When  to  eat : 
Three  times  a  day  regularly ;  not  between  meals. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         775 

Why?    Not  when  too  tired.     Harmful  effects  of  cold 
drinks  when  warm  from  exercise. 
How  to  eat : 

Politely;  not  in  a  hurry;  chew  well;  not  too  much. 
Temperance  again.     Very  little  drinking  at  meals; 
none,  better. 
Light  exercise  after  meals,  not  violent. 
Foods  should  be  discussed  at  school  from  general  prin- 
ciples, never  from  the  home  or  personal  standpoint. 

Teachers  should  endeavor  to  investigate  all  cases  where 
there  seems  to  be  a  lack  of  food  in  homes  and  report  to 
proper  authorities. 

Air: 

Pupils  watch  the  teacher  blow  up  a  toy  balloon. 
Take  deep  breaths  of  air  to  see  if  they  can  make  their 

chests  swell  up. 
Fresh  air  needed  in  the  lungs  even  more  than  food  in 

the  stomach. 
Effects  of  bad  air : 
Observation   of   two    plants:    one    covered    with 
glass  which  shuts  out  air,  and  the  other  having 
plenty  of  it. 
Stories  of  poor  children  who  do  not  have  fresh  air. 
How  we  can  get  fresh  air : 
Exercising  out  of  doors. 

Keeping  windows  open  at  top  and  bottom,  espec- 
ially at  night. 
Forming  the  habit  of  deep  breathing. 
Special  breathing  exercises  before  going  to  bed  at 
night  and  after  getting  up  in  the  morning;  also 
several  times  during  the  day. 
Sunshine : 
Needed  to  give  color  to  leaves,  flowers,  and  fruits. 


ij6  Five  Messages 

Needed  to  give  rosy  cheeks  and  sunny  dispositions 
to  children. 

Sleep : 

"Early  to  bed,  early  to  rise, 
Makes  a  man  healthy,  wealthy,  and  wise." 

Necessity  of  having  plenty  of  sleep  if  we  are  to  keep 

well  and  grow. 
Stories  of  children  who  are  strong  and  rosy  because 
they  get  plenty  of  sleep  and  of  those  who  are  weak 
and  pale  because  of  lack  of  sleep. 
Stories  of  children  who  learn  their  lessons  easily 
because  of  sleep,  and  of  those  who  are  stupid  for 
lack  of  it. 
How  to  sleep  well : 
Clean  bed;  windows  open,  bed  not  in  draft;  day- 
time  clothing   removed;  hard   mattress   rather 
than  soft;  not  much  bed  clothing;  circulation; 
no  bed  clothes  over  head;  pure  air;  very  small 
pillow  —  better    breathing    and    circulation    of 
blood,    avoiding    round    shoulders;  not    eating 
heartily   before   going   to    bed  —  bad    dreams; 
sleeping  alone,  if  possible. 
Best  time  for  sleep,  night. 

Amount  of  sleep  needed;  twelve  hours  if  less  than 
eight  years  old. 
How  to  get  ready  for  bed : 

Shake  out  underclothes  and  put  them  to  air. 
Put  other  clothes  in  order. 
How  to  get  up : 

Close  windows  while  dressing. 
Open  windows  after  dressing. 
Put  bedding  to  air. 
Dramatization,  using  a  doll  for  the  actor  and  putting 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         iff 

her  to  sleep  in  the  bedroom  of  the  playhouse,  bringing 
out  and  reviewing  proper  methods  of  going  to  bed  and  of 
getting  up. 

Clothing : 

Warm  and  light  weight. 
Evenly  distributed  over  body. 
Wraps  always  worn  out  of  doors  but  not  indoors. 
Teeth: 

The  machinery  which  grinds  the  food  so  the  stomach 

can  use  it  to  make  good  healthy  bodies,  therefore, 

necessity  of  keeping  them  sound. 
Effects  of  having  particles  of  food  about  the  teeth. 
Each   child   to   have   a   toothbrush   and   to  use  it 

twice  a  day. 
Use  of  toothpicks  in  private. 
Effects  of  candy  upon  teeth. 
Effect  of  biting  down  on  anything  hard. 
Eyes: 
Pleasure  that  comes  through  the  eyes,  the  windows 

of  the  body. 
Eyes  to  be  kept  bright  by  plenty  of  sleep  and  good 

care. 
Do  not  use  them  in  poor  light. 
Keep  fingers  away  from  them. 

Let  teachers  test  the  eyes  of  pupils,  obtaining  a  test  card 
from  some  firm  dealing  in  optical  supplies.  Let  them 
notify  the  parents  of  those  pupils  whose  eyes  do  not  stand 
the  test. 

Arrange  seats  so  as  to  accommodate  weakest  eyes  to 
the  easiest  angles.  Remember  to  rest  the  eyes  of  pupils 
frequently  during  the  day.  Never  give  fine  work  that 
strains  the  eyes.  Adjust  school  curtains  so  as  to  admit 
the  correct  amount  of  light. 
12 


178  Five  Messages 

A*> 

Ears: 

Ears,  next  to  eyes,  our  most  precious  possession. 
Language,  music. 

Talks  to  impress  upon  pupils  the  danger  of  blows  upon 
the  ear,  showing  how  easily  a  blow  will  break  a 
paper  bag  that  is  inflated. 

Avoiding  colds  by  proper  eating,  bathing,  and  sleep- 
ing, for  colds  often  cause  deafness. 

Necessity  of  breathing  through  the  nose  if  we  wish 
to  hear  well. 

Necessity  of  keeping  the  ears  clean. 

Nose: 
Enjoyment  of  perfumes  and  sweet  odors. 
A  help  in  avoiding  bad  air. 
Necessity  of  breathing  through  the  nose. 
Necessity  of  always  carrying  a  handkerchief  and 
using  it  when  needed. 

Necessity  of  habits  of  caution;    taking  care  to  avoid 
harm  from 

Dangerous  plays. 

Overlifting  and  straining. 

Too  much  running. 

Whirling  round. 

Cracking  the  whip. 

Throwing  stones  and  other  objects. 

Dangers  of  the  street  and  highways. 

Automobiles  and  other  vehicles,  street  cars,  and 

electric  wires. 
"Forgetting"  about  them. 
Taking  risks  with  them. 

Reference 
The  Wonderful  House  that  Jack  Has,  Macmillan  Co., 
New  York. 


To   Teachers   of  Primary  Reading  iyg 

Ethical  Training 

It  is  probable  that  the  most  desultory  training  in  the 
ordinary  schoolroom  is  that  with  reference  to  the  subject 
of  behavior.  Because  ethical  lessons  cannot  be  impressed 
by  drill  methods,  many  teachers  seem  never  to  attempt 
them. 

It  is  quite  possible,  however,  to  prepare  conditions, 
and  then  to  improve  opportunities  thus  afforded  for 
lessons  that  react  wholesomely  upon  the  behavior  of 
pupils.  Teachers  who  neglect  these  things  are  failing  in 
an  important  part  of  their  work. 

The  book  entitled  Character  Building  (given  in  the  ref- 
erence list  on  p.  212)  is  invaluable  in  its  suggestions  with 
reference  to  this  phase  of  training. 

Supplementing  Home  Training 

There  is  a  phase  of  training,  not  covered  in  the  above 
outline,  with  which  every  first-grade  teacher  should  be 
thoroughly  acquainted.  It  is  the  training  of  children 
through  the  cooperation  of  parents. 

Mothers  naturally  turn  to  the  first  teachers  of  their 
little  ones  for  advice  concerning  different  phases  of 
development  that  must  be  relegated  to  the  home.  They 
have  a  right  to  presuppose  a  knowledge  of  these  things 
on  the  part  of  teachers.  But,  too  often,  they  are  dis- 
appointed to  discover  that  teachers  have  only  a  super- 
ficial understanding  of  the  "all-round"  needs  of  the 
children  intrusted  to  their  care. 

The  book  entitled  Unconscious  Childhood  (given  in 
the  reference  list  on  p.  212)  contains  material  which  will 
make  first-grade  teachers  intelligent  on  this  subject  and 
will  enable  them  more  nearly  to  occupy  their  true  place 
with  reference  to  the  mothers  of  their  pupils. 


j8o  Five  Messages 

IV.  Special  Days  Celebrated  in  Home  and 
School 

HALLOWE'EN  l 
October 

A  brief  talk  about  Hallowe'en  fairies:  Who  they  are; 
where  they  live;  what  they  do. 

How  pupils  may  play  they  are  Hallowe'en  fairies: 
Funny  and  mysterious  games  in  school;  a  Jack-o' Lantern 
exhibition  with  schoolroom  curtains  drawn;  ducking  for 
apples  in  a  tub  of  water;  trying,  without  use  of  hands,  to 
bite  into  apples  suspended  by  strings;  rolling  brownies 
down  an  incline,  the  brownies  made  as  follows: 

How  to  Make  a  Brownie 

From  an  old  white  stiff  cuff  cut  an  oblong  four  inches 
by  eight  inches.  Sew  the  edges  together,  making  a 
hollow  cylinder  two  and  a  quarter  inches  in  diameter  and 
four  inches  long.  On  each  end  of  this  cylinder  sew  a 
little  bag  made  by  gathering  the  edge  of  a  five-inch  flannel 
circle.  Before  sewing  on  the  second  bag,  inclose  a  marble 
about  one  and  a  half  inches  in  diameter.  Thus  the 
foundation  for  a  capering  brownie  is  made. 

Before  dressing,  test  it  to  see  if  it  will  roll  end  over  end 
down  an  incline.  If  not,  the  cuff  may  be  too  heavy, 
the  bags  of  too  slippery  material,  the  marble  of  too 
light  weight,  or  something  may  interfere  with  the  free 
movement  of  the  marble,  which  should  roll  easily  from 
bag  to  bag. 

When  the  foundation  is  in  working  order,  dress  to 
represent  a  brownie  as  follows : 

Select  one  bag  for  the  cap  and  sew  a  bright  tassel  on 

i  Hallowe'en  is  not  one  of  the  important  holidays  and  should  not 
be  treated  as  such.  It  affords  merely  an  opportunity  for  a  few 
especially  enjoyable  lessons.  Two  days  is  sufficient  time  to  cover 
all  mention  of  the  subject. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         181 

it.  Just  under  the  cap  draw  a  face  in  ink.  Below  the 
face  tie  a  necktie  of  bright  baby  ribbon.  Below  this  fit  a 
cutaway  long-tailed  coat  of  some  bright  color.  Sew  on 
arms  and  legs  cut  from  old  gloves,  rubbers,  or  shoes. 

This  funny  little  object  affords  no  end  of  delight  to 
the  children  as  he  turns  somersaults  down  a  long  board 
at  their  Hallowe'en  exercises. 

A  Reading  Lesson 

When  this  little  fellow  is  presented  to  a  school  which 
is  reading  from  the  First  Reader  it  is  well  to  have  him 
accompanied  by  the  following  letter.  The  teacher  should 
copy  it  on  the  board,  having  pupils  read  and  carry  out 
the  directions  it  contains. 

Dear  Children: 

I  am  Brownie  Turn  Over. 

I  can  turn  over  and  over. 

Do  you  wish  to  see  me? 

Then  you  must  help  me. 

Get  a  long  board. 

Put  one  end  on  a  chair. 

Put  one  end  on  the  floor. 

Put  me  at  the  top. 

I  will  turn  over  and  over  for  you. 

Please  do  not  let  me  fall  off. 

You  must  watch  me. 

Catch  me  if  I  start  to  fall. 

Your  little  friend, 

Brownie  Turn  Over. 

Information  concerning  Brownies 

In  order  that  teachers  may  not  be  left  to  draw  upon 
their   imagination  concerning  the  place  of   Hallowe'en 


182  Five  Messages 

fairies  and  brownies  in  literature,  the  following  sugges- 
tions are  given: 

In  olden  times  people  believed  in  fairies,  or  tiny 
invisible  creatures  having  power  over  the  lives  of  human 
beings. 

The  fairies  lived  everywhere,  and  could  hide  in  the 
smallest  crevices.  There  were  good  and  bad  fairies,  and 
their  influence  was  good  or  bad  accordingly. 

The  brownie  was  a  household  fairy  among  the  Scotch. 
His  deeds  were  good  or  bad  according  to  his  moods.  If 
well  treated,  he  was  very  obliging  and  willing  to  help 
with  the  household  work.  This  he  did  at  night  in  most 
mysterious  ways  while  the  family  and  servants  slept. 
He  churned  the  butter,  swept  the  floor,  tidied  the  rooms, 
and  did  all  sorts  of  helpful  things  without  making  the 
least  noise. 

There  seems  to  be  no  good  authority  for  stating  that 
brownies  were  more  prevalent  at  Hallowe'en  than  were 
other  fairies.  They  were  supposed  simply  to  be  numbered 
among  the  throngs  of  fairies  that  assembled  at  that  time 
for  the  purpose  of  having  a  grand  frolic  and  of  taking 
possession  of  the  earth  for  one  night. 


References 
stories 
Adventures  of  a  Brownie,  Dinah  Muloch  Craik. 

SONGS   AND   GAMES 

"The  Brownies,"  Songs  of  the  Child  World,  Part  I. 
"The  Brownies,"  Lilts  and  Lyrics. 
"  The  Brownies,"  Songs  in  Season. 
"Hallowe'en,"    A    Book    of    Song    Games    and    Ball 
Games. 


To    Teachers  of  Primary   Reading  183 

THANKSGIVING  1 
November 

Our  Thanksgiving. 

How  we  celebrate  it : 

Home  gatherings. 

Church  gatherings. 
Why  we  celebrate  it : 

Harvest  time. 

To  continue  the  Pilgrim  Thanksgiving. 

The  Pilgrims'  Thanksgiving. 

The  landing : 
This  treated  so  as  to  give  pupils  a  mental  picture 
of  it. 
The  homes  they  built : 

Class  asked  to  reason  concerning  the  materials 
the  Pilgrims  must  have  used  in  building  their 
homes  and  where  they  obtained  them ;  how  they 
prepared  and  used  them. 
The  crops  they  raised : 

Class  asked  to  reason  concerning  how  they  could 
get  food : 

During  the  winter ;  in  the  summer. 
The  planting  and  cultivating  of  crops. 
The  first  harvest : 

How  they  gathered  it. 

Safeguard  against  winter  suffering. 

How  they  felt  about  it. 

iThe  Thanksgiving  work  should  not  be  allowed  to  fill  the  whole 
month  of  November;  but  should  cover  about  one  week.  All  that 
is  important  for  pupils  at  this  point  may  easily  be  taught  during 
this  length  of  time. 

Too  much  subject  matter  should  not  be  attempted.  First- 
grade  pupils  should  not  begin  the  study  of  the  Pilgrims  until  the 
time  of  their  landing  at  Plymouth  Rock.  Even  then,  they  should 
not  be  burdened  with  too  many  details  concerning  their  experiences 
in  the  new  home. 


184  Five  Messages 

The  first  Thanksgiving : 
The  church  service. 
The  feast. 

What  they  probably  had;  where  they  got  it;  how 
they  prepared  and  served  it;  the  guests  present. 

References 
stories 

"A  Thanksgiving  Story,"  Boston  Collection  of  Kinder- 
garten Stories. 

"Peggy's  Thanksgiving  Visitor,"   Stories  for  Kinder- 
garten and  Home. 

"How  Patty  Gave  Thanks,"  In  the  Child's  World. 

"Thanksgiving  Story,"  Kindergarten  Stories  and  Morn- 
ing Talks. 

"The  First  Thanksgiving  Day,"  The  Story  Hour. 

POEMS 

"We  Thank  Thee,"  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson. 
"Can  a  Little  Child,"  Mary  Mapes  Dodge. 

SONGS   AND   GAMES 

"Thanksgiving  Day,"  Merry  Songs  and  Games. 

"On  this  Happy  Feast  Day,"  Holiday  Songs. 

"  Thanksgiving  Song,"  Songs  of  the  Child  World,  Part  I. 

"  Thanksgiving  Joys,"  Songs  in  Season. 

"  Gleaners,"  A  Book  of  Song  Games  and  Ball  Games. 

CHRISTMAS  » 
December 

Our  Christmas. 

How  we  celebrate  it  (emphasizing  the  spirit  of  giving 

rather  than  of  receiving). 

lAlthough  Christmas  is  our  most  important  holiday,  the  prepa- 
ration for  it  should  not.  monopolize  too  much  of  the  school  time 
during  December.  One  lesson  daily  throughout  the  month  will  do 
entire  justice  to  the  subject. 


To    Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         185 

At  home: 

Gifts  to  family  and  friends.     On  trees;  in  stock- 
ings; at  table. 
Family  gatherings. 
At  school : 

Stories,  songs,  dramatizations. 
Making  Christmas  emblems  and  gifts. 
Christmas  exercises. 
Tree  or  some  other  interesting  plan. 
How  Santa  Claus  helps  us  celebrate. 
The  first  Christmas. 

The  journey  to  Bethlehem. 

The  crowd  at  the  inns. 

The  manger  in  the  cave. 

The  birth  of  the  little  Child. 

The  Plain  of  Bethlehem. 

The  appearance  of  the  angels ;  their  message. 

The  shepherds  at  the  manger. 

The  wise  men  following  the  star;  their  gifts. 

God's  gift  to  the  world : 

A  little  child  sent  to  love  all  people  and  make 
them  happy. 

References 
stories 
"The  Story  of  Christmas,"  The  Story  Hour. 
"  Piccola,"  The  Story  Hour. 
"The  Fir  Tree,"  Hans  Christian  Andersen. 
"The  First  Christmas  Presents,"  Kindergarten  Stories 

and  Morning  Talks. 
"The  Story  of  Gretchen,"  Mother  Stories. 
"Mrs.  Santa  Claus,"  For  the  Children's  Hour. 
"Christmas  in  the  Barn,"  In  the  Child's  World. 
"Why   the   Evergreen   Trees   Keep   Their   Leaves  in 
Winter,"  How  to  Tell  Stories. 


186  Five  Messages 

POEMS 

"  Piccola,"  Celia  Thaxter. 

"The  First  Christmas,"  Emilie  Poulsson. 

"While  Stars  of  Christmas  Shine,"  Emilie  Poulsson. 

"Christmas  Song,"  Eugene  Field. 

SONGS   AND   GAMES 

"Santa  Claus,"  Finger  Plays. 

"  The  Legend  of  the  Christmas  Tree,"  Songs  of  the  Child 

World,  Part  I. 
"Christmas  Hymn,"  Kindergarten  Chimes. 
"The  First  Christmas,"  Songs  and  Games  for  Little 

Ones. 
"Waken,  Little  Children,"  Songs  for  Little  Children. 
"A  Merry  Christmas,"  A  Book  of  Song  Games  and  Ball 

Games. 
"The   Christmas   Wreath,"    Children's   Old   and  New 

Singing  Games. 

NEW  YEAR 
January 

In   the  first  grade,    New  Year  calls  for  only  passing 
nention  at  school. 

References 
stories 
"The  Fairy's  New  Year,"  In  the  Child's  World. 
"An  All  the  Year  Round  Story,"  In  the  Child's  World. 

poems 
"New  Year,"  Mary  Mapes  Dodge. 
"How  the  New  Year  Came,"  Mary  Mapes  Dodge. 

songs 
"A  New  Year  Greeting,"  Holiday  Songs. 
"January,"  Songs  in  Season. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  187 

ST.  VALENTINE'S   DAY1 
February 

How  people  celebrate  the  day. 

By  sending  loving  messages  in  valentines. 
Why  they  celebrate  it. 
Story  of  St.  Valentine : 

A  good  priest  who  was  loving  and  kind  to  all, 

especially  to  the  sick  or  needy. 
When  old,  feeble,  and  unable  to  walk,  he  sent 

loving  letters  to  friends. 
After  his  death  people  began  to  celebrate  his  birth- 
day by  sending  kind  messages  as  he  had  done. 
How  we  may  celebrate  it  at  school. 

Each  pupil  make  two  valentines,  one  for  mother, 
father,  or  baby,  one  for  the  school  valentine  box. 

References 
stories 

"Stuart's  Valentine,"  For  the  Children's  Hour. 
"Big  Brother's  Valentine,"  For  the  Children's  Hour. 
"Little    Brown   Valentine,"    Stories   of  Mother   Goose 
Village,  Madge  Bigham. 

poems 
"A  Valentine,"  Eugene  Field. 
"Philip's  Valentine,"  In  the  Child's  World. 

SONGS   AND   GAMES 

"The  Valentine's  Message,"  Holiday  Songs. 

"St.  Valentine's  Day,"  Holiday  Songs. 

"A  Recipe  for  a  Valentine,"  Songs  of  the  Child  World, 

Part  I. 
"Valentine  Day,"  Songs  in  Season. 

1  Not  more  than  two  or  three  days  can  profitably  be  spent  on 
this  subject. 


188  Five  Messages 

WASHINGTON'S   BIRTHDAY  > 
February 

Washington's  boyhood  • 
His  truthfulness. 

Cherry  tree. 
His  love  for  his  mother  as  shown  in  his  not  becom- 
ing a  sailor. 
His  courage. 
Washington's  manhood. 
As  a  warrior. 
As  a  president. 

References 
stories 

"Little  George  Washington,"  The  Story  Hour. 
"A  Story  of  George  Washington,"  Baldwin's  Second 
Reader. 

POEMS 

"Ode  to  Washington,"  Whittier. 

"Washington's  Birthday,"  Margaret  E.  Sangster. 

SONGS   AND   GAMES 

"Washington's   Birthday,"   Merry  Songs  and  Games. 
"Song  for  Washington's  Birthday,"  Holiday  Songs. 
"Washington  Song,"  Songs  in  Season. 
"Soldier  Boy,"  Children's  Old  and  New  Singing  Games. 

ARBOR   DAY 
April  See  suggestions,  p.  203. 

BIRD  DAY 
May  See  suggestions,  p.  192. 

1  Occasional  lessons  on  Washington  during  one  week  only. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  i8q 

SURROUNDINGS  OF  HOME  AND  SCHOOL 

The  study  of  birds,  flowers,  and  trees  is  here  approached 
from  the  standpoint  of  their  desirability  as  surroundings 
of  home  and  school. 

The  primary  motive  is  to  present  these  phases  of  nature 
in  such  manner  as  to  create  in  pupils  a  fondness  for  them, 
resulting  in  a  desire  to  increase  the  number  of  birds, 
flowers,  and  trees  in  the  neighborhood.  Nature  study 
which  thus  appeals  to  the  feelings  of  pupils  and  results 
in  some  form  of  effort  on  their  part  is  more  genuine  and 
of  more  permanent  value  than  that  which  appeals  merely 
to  the  intellect. 

The  material  given  under  the  heading  "Landscape, 
Sky,  Weather,  and  Seasons"  is  intended  to  serve  as  a 
basis  for  correlating  the  whole  year's  work,  because  every 
subject  given  in  the  outline  is  influenced  by  conditions 
attending  weather  and  seasons. 

I.  Birds 
September 

How  birds  bring  pleasure  to  a  neighborhood : 

Beauty   of    color,    form,    song;  the    company    they 

are  for  us ;  also  usefulness  in  eating  many   bugs 

and  worms  that  would  otherwise  harm  plants  and 

trees. 
Class    observe   neighborhood    birds    and    report,    if 

possible,  their  color,  form,  size,  movements,  songs, 

where  they  stay,  how  they  fly,  what  they  eat, 

when  they  sing. 
October 

Class  decide  to  make  a  special  friend  of  some  one 

bird,  choosing  the  robin  after  careful  observations 

and  consideration. 


igo  Five  Messages 

Reasons  for  choice  given  by  children: 

The  robin  is  a  beautiful  bird;  has  several  beau- 
tiful   songs;  friendly,    not    wild;  likes    to    stay 
near  our  homes;  is  not  cruel  to  other  birds; 
large  enough  to  be  seen  easily. 
Pupils  study  the  robin  so  as  to  tell  all  that  is  pos- 
sible about  him  as  suggested  above  for  birds  in 
general. 
Class   make   canvass   of   the   neighborhood  to  dis- 
cover the  places  where  robins  may  find  plant  food 
(seeds,  fruits,  stems,   leaves),   and  decide   to   use 
their  influence  against  having  such  food  cut  away. 

November 

How  robins  fly  south  for  the  winter  when  their  food 
is  gone,  and  how  they  often  stay  all  winter  in 
neighborhoods  where  they  can  get  food. 

Class  decide  to  endeavor  to  delay  the  robin's  depart- 
ure by  supplying  food. 

Migration  of  birds  in  general  incidentally  touched 
upon. 

Studying  the  robin's  empty  nest  in  autumn  to  dis- 
cover materials  and  methods  used;  also  other 
nests  that  are  found. 

Making  a  canvass  of  the  neighborhood  to  locate 
all  possible  robin  nests  in  order  to  get  some  idea 
as  to  how  many  robin  families  were  raised  there 
during  the  spring  and  summer. 

December,  January,  February 
Winter  birds: 

Observing    and    describing    them,     especially    the 
juncos,  or  snowbirds,  and  the  chickadees. 
Their  food. 
What  they  can  get. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         igi 

Snowbird's  food. 
Sometimes    difficult    to    find    because    scarce    or 

under  snow.  Sometimes  water  frozen  over. 
Committee  chosen  to  see  that  daily  supply  of 
water,  crumbs,  seeds,  and  other  foods  is  put  in 
suitable  places — school  window  sills  for  one 
place,  with  a  view  to  taming  the  birds  and 
bringing  them  nearer,  and  suet  hung  from 
branches  of  trees. 
Observation  and  description  of  the  different  birds 

that  come  to  get  food  and  drink. 
How  winter  birds  keep  warm. 
Seek  sheltered  places. 
A  new  suit  of  warm  winter  feathers. 
March  to  June 
Spring  birds: 

Watching  for  the  return  of  birds,  especially  the  robins. 
Discussions  as  to  how  to  attract  robinSb-and  to 
induce  them  to  build  their  nests  in  the  neighbor- 
hood; class  deciding  to  help  furnish  them  pro- 
tection, homes,  and  food. 
Why  they  build  nests.  ^ 

Materials  they  use. 
Do  they  use  the  old  nests? 

Observation  of  robins  while  building  to  see  if  they 
use  the  same  kinds  of  material  found  in  their 
empty  nests  last  autumn. 
Do  they  return  to  the  same  trees? 
Shall  we  have  more  robin  families  this  year  than 

last? 
Study  of  the  robin  continued  through  observations 

and  reports  during  nesting  time. 
Selecting  the  bluebird  as  another  especially  desir- 
able bird  friend. 


IQ2      '  Five  Messages 

Special  study  of  this  bird  based  on  observations: 

Colors;  size;  movements;  songs;  food;  where  he 

stays ;  how  he  flies ;  what  he  eats ;  when  he  sings ; 

where  he  builds,  and  the  material  he  uses. 

Discussions  as  to  how  to  induce  bluebirds  to  live 

near  our  schools  and  homes. 
Compare  bluebirds  and  robins  as  to  points  men- 
tioned above ;  also  as  to  shyness. 
Protecting  all  birds  against — 
Quick  movements  and  disturbances. 
Stoning  or  shooting. 
Cats. 
Putting  up  bird  houses. 

Making  nooks   and    fence  corners  attractive  for 

nesting. 
Placing  building  material  in  different  places. 
Planting  food  for  birds  and  seeing  that  bird  food  is 

not  cut  away  from  fence  corners. 
Keeping  fresh  water  in  pans  or  tubs. 
Keeping  food  and  fresh  water  near  a  mother  bird 

on  the  nest. 
Feeding  and  caring  for  young  birds  that  have  fallen 

from  their  nests  or  have  lost  their  parents. 
Work  of  mother  bird  and  father  bird. 
What  the  baby  birds  need: 
Food,  shelter,  training. 
How  they  get  these. 
A  fitting  climax  to  the  spring  bird  study  is  the  selection 
and  observation  of  a  "Bird  Day,"  on  which  appropriate 
exercises  are  held.     The  following  outline  suggests  pos- 
sibilities for  such  exercises: 

Singing  of  bird  songs  by  the  school. 
Recitation  of  bird  poems  by  individual  pupils  or  by 
the  school. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         iqj 

Reports  by  different  pupils  as  to  kinds  of  birds  seen 

in  the  neighborhood  during  the  spring. 
Description  and  habits  of  each. 
Description  of  their  young. 
Reports  as  to  location  of  nests  known  to  school; 

great  secrecy  for  fear  of  harm  coming  to  the  little 

birds. 
Reports    concerning   the    experiences    of    pupils   in 

protecting  young  birds  when  learning  to  fly. 
Reports  concerning  lessons  pupils  have  seen  parent 

birds  teaching  their  little  ones. 
Reports  concerning  the  success  of  bird  houses  made 

and  put  up  by  pupils.     Discussion  as  to  why  some 

did  not  attract  birds. 
An  interesting  bird  story  told  by  the  teacher. 
Playing  of  bird  games  by  the  school. 

References 
stories 

"Coming  and  Going,"  Kindergarten  Stories  and  Morn- 
ing Talks. 

"The  Bird  with  No  Name,"  McMurry's  Classic  Stories. 

"The  Lark  and  her  Young  Ones,"  Scudder's  Fables. 

"Fleet  Wing  and  Sweet  Voice,"  Mother  Stories. 

"The  Birdie  that  Tried,"  Boston  Collection  of  Kinder- 
garten Stories. 

"Jack  and  Jenny  Sparrow,"  In  the  Child's  World. 

"The  Red-headed  Woodpecker,"  Nature  Myths. 

"How    the    Robin's    Breast    Became    Red,"    Nature 
Myths. 

POEMS 

"The  Bluebird's  Song,"  Graded  Memory  Selections. 
"What  a  Bird  Thought,"  Boston  Collection  of  Kinder- 
garten Stories. 

13 


IQ4  Five  Messages 

"The  Snowbird,"  Three  Years  with  the  Poets. 
"What  Robin  Told,"  Graded  Memory  Selections. 
"The    Little   Brown   Wren,"    Boy's   Book   of  Rhyme, 
Clinton  Scollard. 

SONGS   AND   GAMES 

"The  Sparrows,"  Finger  Plays. 

"  The  Swallow,"  Merry  Songs  and  Games. 

"What  Do  Birdies  Dream?"  Merry  Songs  and  Games. 

"The  Bird  Band,"  Holiday  Songs. 

"Bird's  Joy,"  Holiday  Songs. 

"The  Cradle  Nest,"  Holiday  Songs. 

"All  the  Birds  Have  Come  Again,"  Songs  and  Games  for 

Little  Ones. 
"Bird  Game,"  Kindergarten  Chimes. 
"Birds  Must  Fly,"  Merry  Songs  and  Games. 
"Flying  Birds,"  Merry  Songs  and  Games. 
"Five  Little  Chickadees,"  Songs  and  Games  for  Little 

Ones. 
"My  Pigeon  House,"  Songs  and  Games  for  Little  Ones. 
"Fly,  Little  Birds,"  Holiday  Songs. 
"Awakening,"  Songs  of  the  Child  World,  Part  II. 

II.  Flowers 
September  and  October 
Autumn  flowers: 

Discussion  as  to  how  to  make  the  schoolroom  pleas- 
ant, leading  to  a  decision  to  keep  it  supplied  with 
flowers,  wild  or  cultivated. 
Discussion  as  to  the  care  these  flowers  will  need  to 
keep  them  fresh :     Water,  air,  proper  temperature. 
Why  flowers  make  the  schoolroom  pleasant :     Beauty 

of  the  colored  part:    fragrance. 
With  closed  eyes  name  flowers  by  their  fragrance. 


To    Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         IQ5 

Grouping  the  flowers  brought  according  to  color, 
fragrance,  size,  general  beauty,  length  and  strength 
of  stem,  robustness  or  delicacy. 
Visiting  the  places  where  the  wild  flowers  grow  and 
describing  them  as   sunny    or    shady;    moist    or 
dry;  sheltered   or   windy;  woodland,    field,    road- 
side, or  beside  a  stream. 
How  the  surroundings  of  each  plant  help  it  to  grow. 
Who  besides  people  like  flowers: 

Visiting   cultivated   and   wild   flowers   to   answer 
this  question,  probably  discovering  bees,  butter- 
flies,   and    other   insects;  why   these   visit   the 
flowers;  nectar. 
Examination  of  white  clover  blossoms  to  see  where 
the  bees  put  their  tongues  when  they  sip  the 
sweet. 
Description  by  those  who  have  seen  humming 
birds  get  nectar  as  to  how  they  do  it.     Class 
decide  to  watch  for  them  about  flowers. 
Observation  to  decide  which  flowers  bees  like  best, 
which  the  butterflies,  which  the  humming  birds. 
The  objects  of  the  autumn  flower  lessons  are  (1)  to 
help  children  appreciate  the  beauty  of  flowers  and,  conse- 
quently, to  love  them;  (2)  to  teach  through  observation 
the  work  of  the  flowers,  namely,  to  produce  seeds.     The 
suggestions  given  above  are  intended  to  help  accomplish 
the  first  aim;  those  below,  the  second. 

Questioning  pupils  as  to  what  use  flowers  are  to 
plants,  requiring  them  to  get  their  answers  first 
hand  through  observation  and  investigation. 
Emphasizing  the  necessity  of  some  sort  of  protection 
for  growing  seeds,  and  discussing  the  consequences 
that  would  follow  if  they  were  not  protected  by 
some  means. 


iq6  Five  Messages 

Studying  different  garden  and  wild  flowers  to  dis- 
cover how  their  seeds  are  protected  until  ripe: 
Pods,  husks,  heads,  shells,  burrs. 

How  seeds  are  scattered:  By  wings,  hooks,  sails; 
how  the  wind  helps;  how  water:  how  animals; 
how  people. 

Collecting  seeds  and  putting  them  into  boxes,  bottles 
or  on  charts,  according  to  the  different  ways  in 
which  they  are  scattered. 

Considering  Nature's  way  of  scattering  them  in 
every  direction  in  autumn  and  ours  of  planting 
them  in  certain  places  in  spring. 

Necessity  for  our  gathering  seeds  in  autumn  if  we 
wish  to  plant  them  in  the  spring. 

Special    consideration   of   some   one    common   wild 
flower  of  autumn,  enumerating  its  different  uses 
to  people,  animals,  and  plants;  how  its  seeds  are 
protected  until  ripe,  then  scattered. 
October  to  March 
Winter  flowers  for  the  schoolroom: 

Flowers  raised  from  bulbs  where  conditions  of  climate 
or  temperature  permit. 

Planting  bulbs  by  October  i ,  so  as  to  have  blossoms 
at  Christmas.     Paper  narcissus  best. 

Bulbs  brought  by  pupils  or  secured  at  seed  store  or 
from  florist. 

Information  as  to  soil  ingredients  and  methods  of 
planting,  also  details  of  culture  obtained  from 
florist. 

Planted  bulb  put  away  in  dark  until  about  Thanks- 
giving time,  to  let  roots  grow,  then  brought  to 
light  and  kept  watered  and  warm  in  order  to 
bring  out  blossoms. 

Class  visit  the  florist  to  see  bulbs  in  bloom. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         igy 

Dutch  hyacinths  and  tulips  may  be  brought  out  in 
the  same  way  for  Easter. 
May  to  June 
Spring  flowers : 

Flowers  mentioned  among  the  signs  of  spring. 
Pupils  watching  for  the  arrival  of    both  wild  and 

garden  flowers. 
Decoration  of  schoolroom  with  spring  flowers. 
Grouping  flowers  brought,  as  to  their  general  beauty, 
color,  fragrance,  size,  length  and  strength  of  stems, 
robustness,  delicacy,  and  time  of  arriving. 
Recording  arrival  of  spring  flowers:     Board  or  chart 
record  of  the  day  when  each  new  flower  is  brought 
to  school  together  with  the  name  of  the  child  who 
brings  it. 
Class  electing  a  flower  committee  to  see  that  flowers 
are  sent  from  the  school  to  sick  friends. 
Teachers  should  ascertain  the  common  names  of  the 
wild  flowers  in  order  to  make  children  familiar  with  those 
most  common. 

Study  of  certain  wild  flowers  of  spring  in  their  out- 
of-door  surroundings :  What  helps  them  to  grow — 
sun,  rain,  soil,  air;  description  of  the  places  in 
which  they  grow. 
Garden  flowers:  What  they  need  to  make  them 
grow;  how  their  care  differs  from  that  of  wild 
flowers. 
Treatment  of  flowers : 

Emphasizing  the  beauty  of  growing  flowers;  the  pity 

of  picking  them  unless  they  are  to  serve  some  real 

purpose. 

How  to  care  for  flowers  when  once  they  are  picked. 

Stems  not  crushed;  kept  in  fresh  water  and  in 

cool  place. 


iq8  Five  Messages 

Arrangement  in  vases. 
Space  given  to  show  grace  of  stems,  also  to  show 
individual    flowers;  some    attention    to   artistic 
combinations  of  colors  and  varieties. 
Teaching  pupils  to  spare  the  roots  and  stems  of  a 

plant  when  they  pick  its  flowers. 
Helping  pupils  to  realize  that  they  can  enjoy  a  few 
flowers  well  cared  for  better  than  a  great  many 
neglected  flowers. 
Encouraging  pupils  to  visit  growing  wild  and  culti- 
vated flowers  in  order  to  know  them,  discovering, 
among  other  things,  that  some  close  up,  or  go  to 
sleep,  either  at  night  or  during  the  day.     Which 
ones? 
Planting  dwarf  nasturtium  seeds,  or  others  if  pre- 
ferred, in  the  schoolroom  window  garden,  having 
pupils    observe    the    development    from    seed    to 
flower. 
Encouraging  pupils  to  plant  at  home  the  seeds  they 
gathered  from  their  gardens  in  the  autumn  and 
to  raise  flowers  for  home  and  schoolroom  decora- 
tion. 
If  the  study  of  flowers  has  been  properly  conducted  up 
to  this  time,  pupils  will  have  such  an  appreciation  of  them 
that  they  will  be  eager  to  plant  and  raise  them,  thus 
making    the    surroundings    of    home    and    school    more 
pleasant. 

References 
stories 

"Clytie,"  Nature  Myths. 

"Golden  Rod  and  Aster,"  Nature  Myths. 

"Narcissus,"  Nature  Myths. 

"The  Pea  Blossom,"  Hans  Christian  Andersen. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         iqq 

"A  Story  of  the  Morning  Glory  Seed,"  Boston  Collection 
of  Kindergarten  Stories. 

"A  Story  of  a  Cowslip,"  Boston  Collection  of  Kinder- 
garten Stories. 

"The  Daisy,"  For  the  Children's  Hour. 

"  The  Legend  of  the  Arbutus,"  For  the  Children's  Hour. 

POEMS 

"How  the   Violets   Came,"    Songs   of   Tree    Top  and 

Meadow. 
"Buttercup,"  Songs  of  Tree  Top  and  Meadow. 
"Clovers,"  Songs  of  Tree  Top  and  Meadow. 
"  Dandelions,"  Graded  Memory  Selections. 
"Wild  Rose,"  Graded  Memory  Selections. 
"The  Double  Sunflower,"  Celia  Thaxter. 


"The  Baby  Seed  Song,"  Songs  in  Season. 

"Lilies  Sweet,"  Holiday  Songs. 

"Daffydowndilly,"  Songs  of  the  Child  World,  Part  I. 

"The  Dandelion,"  Songs  of  the  Child  World,  Part  I. 

"Violet,"  Songs  of  the  Child  World,  Part  I. 

"Pansies,"  Merry  Songs  and  Games. 

"Buttercups  and  Daisies,"  Merry  Songs  and  Games. 

III.  Trees 
September  to  November 

During  the  season  of  autumn  foliage  and  fruitage: 
Introductory  talks  considering  the  beauty  of  the 
trees,  also  their  value  in  providing  shade,  shelter, 
and  food  to  man  and  beast. 
Pupils  observe  trees  of  the  home  and  neighborhood 
and  report  at  school  how  they  are  useful  to  and 
enjoyed  by  people  and  animals. 


200  Five  Messages 

Open-air  trips  by  class  to  visit  neighborhood  trees, 

comparing   them   as   to   beauty   and   usefulness; 

making  a  special  canvass  to  find  all  possible  birds' 

nests,  and  deciding  which  trees  are  best  for  these. 

Class  select,  under  the  guidance  of  the  teacher,  four 

or  five  trees  to  visit  frequently  during  the  year 

and  to  be  known  as  the  "class  trees." 

Let  it  be  remembered  that  the  object  is  not  to  have 

pupils  memorize  particular  scientific  facts  about  trees, 

but  in  a  larger  way  to  help  them  become  familiar  with 

some  of  the  significant  phases  of  tree  life  to  the  end  that 

they  may  develop  a  love  for  trees  and  become  possessed 

of  a  permanent  desire  to  increase  their  number  in  the 

neighborhood. 

Among  the  trees  selected  for  such  study  should  be 
one  that  ripens  its  seeds  in  the  autumn,  one  that  ripens 
its  seeds  in  the  spring,  and,  besides  these,  a  fruit  tree  and 
a  nut  tree. 

Small  trees  are  better  than  large  ones  for  the  little 
people. 

Visiting  the  class  trees  to  find  seeds;  comparing  the 
different  seeds  as  to: 

Kind   of   protection;  mode   of   distribution;  time 
of  ripening. 
Fruits  considered  as  the  "seed  boxes": 
Which   of  the  class-tree   fruits   ripen   in   autumn? 

Which  ripen  before? 
Which  fruits  are  useful  as  food  for  people,  birds,  or 
squirrels?    Which  of  these  are  eaten  fresh;  which 
can  be  stored  for  winter  without  cooking?    How? 
Value  of  fruits  that  can  be  stored. 
Advisability  and  ease  of  planting  nut  trees,  thus 
increasing  the  winter  store. 
Seeds  and  fruits  are  here  taken  up  before  autumn 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         201 

leaves,  because  the  falling  of  leaves  represents  the  last 
active  work  of  the  tree  for  the  season. 

Leaves  of  the  different  class  trees  compared  as  to  color, 
size,  time  of  falling. 

Leaves  falling  because  trees  no  longer  need  them; 

touched  by  Jack  Frost ;  carried  away  by  the  wind. 

Further  work  of  leaves: 

Covering    seeds    and    plants    and    keeping   them 

warm;  making  a  leafy  home  for  insects  that 

live  upon  the  ground;  finally,  turning  into  soil 

for  other  plants.     Class  take  trip  to  the  woods 

to  examine  soil  under  the  trees  and  look  for 

leaf  mold  from  leaves  of  former  years. 

December  to  March 

During  leafless  season: 

Observations  and  discussion  of  class  trees  after 
leaves  have  fallen. 

Canvass  of  trees  to  find  more  birds'  nests. 

Can  we  see  how  much  the  trees  have  grown  this 
year? 

Examine  twigs,  and  measure  the  new  growth.  Com- 
pare growth  of  different  trees.  Little  brown 
lumps,  buds,  found  on  twigs  tucked  away  in  the 
stems  of  the  old  leaves;  objects  for  observation 
at  each  future  visit  to  the  trees. 

Comparison  of  the  different  leafless  class  trees  as 
to  their  general  outline  when  leafless. 

Observation  and  comparison  of  bark  as  to  (1)  color 
on  trunk,  branches,  twigs;  (2)  smoothness  or 
roughness;  (3)  how  it  cracks. 

Are  the  tree  trunks  and  branches  scarred,  or  have 
they  had  good  care? 

Place  emphasis  upon  care  of  trees. 


202  Five  Messages 

Class  examine  into  the  condition  of  trees  along  the 
streets  and  think  of  ways  by  which  they  may  be 
shielded  from  future  harm. 
The  Christmas  tree: 

Observe  a  small  evergreen  tree,   preferably  a  fir, 
and  compare  it  with  the  class  trees  as  to: 
General  outline. 

Manner  of  branching  from  the  trunk. 
Manner  of  re-branching  (terminal  growth). 
Leaves — needles,  never  leaving  the  tree  bare. 
Seeds — cones. 
Which  kind  of  Christmas  tree  helps  birds  most 
in  winter? 
March  to  June 

During   the   season   of   spring   foliage,  blossoms,  and 
fruitage : 

Preparing  the  class  for  the   out-of-door   awakening 
by  having  them  observe  the  development  of  willow, 
lilac,    or  horse-chestnut  buds   on  twigs   kept  in 
water  in  the  warm  schoolroom.     This  to  be  begun 
about  one  month  before  the  trees  send  forth  their 
leaves,  teacher  telling  class  nothing,  merely  making 
suggestions  that  stimulate   curiosity  and  lead  to 
closer  observation.     For  example — 
Where  are  the  buds?     Single  or  in  pairs?     Where 
largest?     Color,   shape,   size?     How  are  scales 
held  together?     Why  did  n't  buds  freeze?     Into 
what  will  the  buds  change?    Anything  beneath 
buds?     Scars:  what  are  they? 
Out-of-door  spring  study  of  class  trees: 

Observation    of   the    development    of    twigs,    buds, 
leaves,  flowers,  and  fruits. 
An  atmosphere  of  delight  in  nature's  awakening  should 
pervade  all  this  spring  study. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         203 

Observation  of  the  green  color  of  the  twigs.  Class 
visit  a  maple  tree  while  the  sap  is  running.  Slight 
explanation  and  discussion  as  to  the  use  of  the 
sap  and  cause  of  twigs  turning  green;  buds  of 
the  different  trees  compared  as  to  position,  ar- 
rangement, size,  color,  shape,  time  of  opening; 
leaves  discussed  as  being  needed  by  the  trees  in 
getting  air  so  they  may  grow;  flowers  compared 
as  to  color,  beauty,  fragrance,  size,  time  of  blos- 
soming, manner  of  growth,  use  to  be  discovered 
by  children  through  observation;  insect  visitors; 
a  word  against  harming  trees  by  wasteful  picking 
of  the  blossoms;  fruits  observed  from  their  first 
stages,  and  discovered  to  be  the  development  of 
blossoms. 
Probably  the  class  fruit  tree  will  not  mature  its  fruit 
until  fall,  but  the  fruit  can  be  easily  recognized  in  its 
green  state  before  the  close  of  school. 

Necessity   of    propping    overladen    fruit    trees    and 
protecting   them    against    mutilation    when    fruit 
is  picked. 
Arbor  Day  exercises  in  which  the  class  transplant  the 
seedlings  planted  in  the  school   bed   the  previous 
autumn,  or  during  the  spring.     The  planting  should 
be  preceded  by  a  consideration  of  all  that  helps 
trees  to  grow,  in  order  that  these  trees  may  be  prop- 
erly planted  and  cared  for: 
Conditions  of  soil,  water,  light,  and  heat. 
It    should    be    accompanied    by    appropriate   songs 
and  poems. 
The  Arbor  Day  exercises  represent  the  climax  of  all 
true  tree  study  for  little  ones,  namely,  an  attempt  to 
increase  the  number  of  desirable  trees  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, and  may  be  so  conducted  as  to  awaken  a  genuine 


204  Five  Messages 

and  lasting  enthusiasm  for  the  cause.     Encourage  pupils 
to  plant  and  care  for  trees  at  home. 

References 
stories 
"Rhcecus,"  Nature  Stories. 
"Daphne,"  Nature  Stories. 
"Philemon  and  Baucis,"  Nature  Stories. 
"The  Poplar  Tree,"  Nature  Stories. 
"The  Unhappy  Pine  Tree,"  McMurry's  Classic  Stories. 
"Wait  and  See,"  In  the  Child's  World. 
"The  Kind  Old  Oak,"  In  the  Child's  World. 
"The  Four  Apple  Trees,"  In  the  Child's  World. 
"A  Boy  Who  Hated  Trees,"  When  First  We  Go  to 
School. 

POEMS 

"Pine  Needles,"  McMurry's  Classic  Stories. 

"The  Little  Fir  Trees,"  McMurry's  Classic  Stories. 

"The  Tree,"  Bjornsen. 

"How  the  Leaves  Came  Down,"  Graded  Poetry. 

SONGS   AND   GAMES 

"A  Song  of  the  Trees,"  Holiday  Songs. 

"Our  Fir  Tree,"  Holiday  Songs. 

"The  Planting  of  the  Apple  Trees,"  Holiday  Songs. 

"The  Tree's  Friends,"  Songs  of  the  Child  World,  Part  I. 

"The  Leaves'  Party,"  Songs  of  the  Child  World,  Part  I. 

"The  Apple  Tree,"  Music  Primer,  Eleanor  Smith. 

"The  Trees,"  Kindergarten  Chimes. 

IV.  Landscape,  Sky,  Weather,  and  Seasons 
September  to  fune 

Describing  weathei  as 
Sunny,  cloudy,  foggy,  rainy,  frosty,  or  snowy. 
Calm  or  windy. 
Warm,  chilly,  or  cold. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         205 

Recording  weather  by  means  of 
Blackboard  reading  lessons. 
Blackboard  calendar. 
Weather  flags. 
Teacher  recording  the  weather  daily  on  a  blackboard 

calendar  according  to  directions  from  pupils. 
A  convenient  calendar  is  one  twenty-eight  inches 
wide  by  twenty  inches  high,  marked  off  into  four-inch 
squares,  thus  giving  spaces  for  the  seven  days  of  the 
week,  written  crosswise  at  the  top  of  the  calendar,  and 
for  the  four  or  five  weeks  of  the  month  written  at  the 
left.  On  sunny  days  the  teacher  may  draw  yellow  semi- 
circles in  the  upper  left-hand  corners  with  yellow  radiat- 
ing rays;  rainy  days,  slanting  lines;  cloudy  days,  closed 
umbrellas;  snowy  days,  semicircles  of  white  in  upper 
right-hand  corner;  special  days,  anything  suggestive; 
foggy  days,  "f";  frosty  days,  "fr";  windy  days,  "w." 
Effect  of  different  kinds  of  weather  upon  different 

plants,  animals,  and  people. 
Signs  of  seasons  observed,  discussed,  and  recorded  as 
they  appear  throughout  the  year. 

Autumn 
September 

Early  autumn: 

Ripening  of  seeds  and  fruits. 

Autumn  flowers. 

Insects  seen  and  their  songs  heard. 

Seeds  flying  and  sailing. 

Landscape  green,  yet  touched  with  red  and  yellow, 

enlivened  by  birds  and  insects. 

Garden  foods  used  now. 

November 

Late  autumn: 

Days  growing  shorter  and  colder. 


206  Five  Messages 

Jack  Frost — action  of  the  frost. 

People  getting  warmer  clothing;  providing  winter 
homes  and  storing  food  for  animals;  what  ones? 

Some  animals  getting  thicker  coats.  What  about 
cats  and  dogs? 

Falling  leaves. 

Harvest  time. 

Grass  and  leaves  turning  brown. 

Birds  going  south. 

Frogs  and  toads  going  to  sleep  underground. 

Squirrels  gathering  nuts  and  storing  them  in  hollow 
trees. 

Insects  making  cocoons — process  observed  in  school- 
room. 

Wind  scattering  leaves  and  seeds. 

How  autumn  "looks"  and  "sounds." 

Winter 
December,  January,  February 
Winter : 

Days  short  and  cold — Jack  Frost. 
Artificial  heat  at  home  and  at  school. 
Flowers  gone  and  plants  sleeping. 
Food  from  cellar  or  grocer  instead  of  garden. 
Trees  sleeping. 
Landscape  bare. 
Few  birds  left. 

Frogs  and  toads  and  insects  sleeping. 
Squirrels  not  seen  so  often. 
Snow  on  ground. 

How  winter  "looks"  and  "sounds." 
Snow: 
Watching  for  snow. 

What   winds   bring   snow;  appearance   of   clouds 
before  a  storm. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         207 

Observing  a  snowstorm. 

From  whence  snow  comes :  Sky. 

How  it  comes  down. 
Discussion  after  snowfall. 

Beauty. 

Sleighing. 

Snow  a  protecting  blanket  to  roots  and  seeds  that 
might  otherwise  freeze. 
Tracks  in  the  snow:     Finding  them;  trying  to  dis- 
cover what  made  them,  especially  watching  for 

rabbit  and  bird  tracks. 
Drifting  snow:     Cause,  effect. 
Crust :    Caused  by  freezing  after  the  top  of  the  snow 

has  been  melted. 
The  land  of  snow,  or  Eskimo  land.     (See  outline  for 

study  of  the  Eskimos,  p.  166.) 

Referencesi 
stories 
"Snowflakes,"  In  the  Child's  World. 
"Jack  Frost  and  his  Work,"  In  the  Child's  World. 
"The  North  Wind  at  Play,"  In  the  Child's  World. 
"The  Snow  Man,"  For  the  Children's  Hour. 
"Grandfather's  Penny,"  For  the  Children's  Hour. 

poems 
"Little  Ships  in  the  Air,"  Love  joy's  Nature  in  Verse. 
"Little  Snowflakes,"  Love  joy's  Nature  in  Verse. 

SONGS   AND   GAMES 

"Weather  Song,"  Songs  and  Games  for  Little  Ones. 
"Jack  Frost,"  Songs  of  the  Child  World,  Part  I. 
"Falling  Snow,"  Holiday  Songs. 

"In  the  Snowing  and  the  Blowing,"  Songs  for  Little 
Children. 

lSee  autumn  references  under  "Birds,"  "Flowers,"  and  "Trees." 


208  Five  Messages 

"  Jacky  Frost,"  Music  Primer,  Eleanor  Smith. 
"The  Seasons,"  Songs,  Roundels,  and  Games. 

Spring 
March 

Early  spring : 

Signs  of  early  spring. 

Days  growing  longer. 

Wind. 

Observation   to   discover   direction   from   which   it 

comes,  pupils  naming  the  signs  by  which   they 

decide:  Clothes,  grass,  smoke. 

Observation  to  discover  kinds : 

Warm,  cold,  gentle,  rough. 

From  which  direction  the^warm  winds ;  from  which 

the  cold  winds;  from  which  the  gentle;  from 

which  the  rough. 

How  the  winds  effect  plants,  animals,  and  people. 

Winds  of  autumn : 

Scatter  seeds  and  leaves. 

Winds  of  winter: 

Bring  snow;  make  snowdrifts;  freeze  things  but 

make  air  pure. 

Winds  of  spring : 

Dry  ground  and  help  prepare  it  for  the  planting 

of  seeds;  bring  rain;  sail  kites. 

References 
stories 
"The  Wind  and  the  Sun,"  Scudder's  Fables. 
"The  Wind's  Work,"  Mother  Stories. 
"Spring  and  her  Helpers,"  In  the  Child's  World. 
"  The  Meeting  of  the  Winds,"  In  the  Child's  World. 
"The  Little  Half  Chick,"  The  Teacher's  Story  Teller's 
Book. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         209 


POEMS 

"The  Wind,"  Robert  Louis  Stevenson. 
"Windy  Nights,"  Robert  Louis  Stevenson. 
"The  Wind,"  Christina  Rossetti. 

SONGS   AND   GAMES 

"  The  Song  of  the  Wind,"  Holiday  Songs. 
"The  Wind,"  Songs  of  the  Child  World,   Part  I. 
"  The  Windmill,"  Songs  of  the  Child  World,  Part  I. 
"A  Little  Wind,"  Songs  in  Season. 
"Wind  Song,"  Songs  for  Little  Children. 
April 

Later  spring : 
Signs  of  spring  as  observed — 
In  plants. 
In  animals. 

Birds  returning  and  nesting. 
Insects  appearing. 

Frogs,  turtles,  and  other  animals  coming  back. 
Frogs'  eggs  developed  in  school. 
Some  animals  shedding  winter  coats. 
In  people. 

Fires  less  necessary  in  houses. 
Thinner  clothing. 
Planting  gardens  and  fields. 
Slight  study  of  the  sun  as  to  its  different  manifes- 
tations and  influences  at  this  time  of  year. 
Days  growing  longer  and  warmer  make  the  rain 

warm. 
Effect  on  plants  and  animals. 
Rain: 
A  sign  of  spring;  a  necessity  to  the  awakening  of 
plants. 

14 


210  Five  Messages 

From  whence  it  comes:  Sky. 

How  it  comes  down. 

What  it  does  for  plants ;  for  animals. 

What  it  does  for  people. 

Rainbow. 

References 

stories 

"  Iris  Bridge,"  Nature  Myths. 

"How  We  First  Came  to  Have  Umbrellas,"  For  the 
Children's  Hour. 


"Who    Likes    the    Rain,"    Songs    of    Tree    Top    and 

Meadow. 
"The  Rain,"  Songs  of  Tree  Top  and  Meadow. 
"The  Rainy  Day,"  Longfellow. 
"The  Rainbow,"  Hiawatha. 

SONGS   AND   GAMES 

"The  Raindrops,"  Holiday  Songs. 

"Rainbow  Song,"  Songs  and  Games  for  Little  Ones. 

"See  Millions  of  Bright  Diamonds,"  Songs  and  Games 

for  Little  Ones. 
"Raindrops,"  Songs  in  Season. 
"Dance  of  the  Rainbow  Fairies,"  Songs  of  the  Child 

World,  Part  I. 

Summer 
June 

Early  summer: 

How  summer  "looks"  and  "sounds." 

Landscape  fresh  and    green,  brightened  by  flowers 

and  alive  with  insects  and  birds. 

Vacation— play  time. 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         211 

A  paragraph  given  at  the  beginning  is  here  repeated. 
It  reads  as  follows: 

"The  idea  in  presenting  this  outline  is  to  provide  a 
unified,  though  flexible,  ft  heme  of  work,  suggesting  to 
teachers  an  abundance  of  material  upon  which  to  base 
thought  lessons  for  all  possible  types  and  conditions 
of  first-grade  pupils.  It  is,  therefore,  not  intended 
that  any  one  class  shall  attempt  too  large  a  part  of  the 
work  suggested." 


REFERENCE  BOOKS 

Every  first-grade  teacher  should  possess  a  reference  library, 
however  small,  consisting  of  some  of  the  best  books  for  supple- 
menting her  general  plan  of  work.  For  the  convenience  of  those 
who  may  wish  suggestions  with  reference  to  the  selection  of  a  small 
library  containing  material  adapted  to  the  methods  described  in 
this  volume,  a  list  of  books  is  here  inserted.  Many  of  the  stories, 
poems,  songs,  and  games  suggested  in  Message  Five  are  contained 
in  these  books. 

I.  Informational  Subject  Matter 

In  the   Child's    World,   Emilie  Poulsson.     Milton   Bradley   Co., 

Springfield,  Mass.     $2.00. 
Outlines  for  Primary  and  Kindergarten  Classes,  Cannell  and  Wise. 

E.  L.  Kellogg  &  Co.,  New  York.     75  cents. 
A   Year  Book  for  Primary  Grades,  Graves  and  Watkins.     Milton 

Bradley  Co.,  Springfield,  Mass.     $1.25. 
Kindergarten  Stories  and  Morning  Talks,  Sara  E.  Wiltse.     Ginn  & 

Co.,  Boston.     75  cents. 
Character  Building  in  School,  Jane  Brownlee.     Houghton,  Mifflin 

&  Co.,  Boston.     $1.00. 
Unconscious   Childhood,    Ellen   Creelman.     A   child-study  book. 

(In  preparation.) 
Primary  Handwork  Problems  Based  on  Related  Interests,  Clara  P. 

Reynolds.     (In  preparation.) 
Primary    Manual    Work,    Ledyard    and    Brechenfeld.     Milton 

Bradley  Co.,  Springfield,  Mass. 

II.  Stories 

For  the  Children's  Hour,  Bailey  and  Lewis.     Milton  Bradley  Co., 

Springfield,  Mass.     $1.50. 
Boston  Collection  of  Kindergarten  Stories.     J.  L.  Hammett  Co., 

Boston.     60  cents. 
Mother  Stories  and  More  Mother  Stories,  Maude  Lindsay.     Milton 

Bradley  Co.,  Springfield,  Mass.     $1.00  each. 
The  Golden  Windows,  Laura  E.  Richards.     Little,  Brown  &  Co., 

Boston.     $1.00. 

212 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading         213 

Through  the  Barnyard  Gate,  Emilie  Poulsson.     Lothrop,   Lee  & 

Shepard,  Boston.     $1.25. 
The   Story  Hour,  Kate   Douglas  Wiggin.     Houghton,    Mifflin  & 

Co.,  Boston.     $1.00. 
Eskimo  Stories,  Mary  E.  Smith.     Rand  McNally  &  Co.,  Chicago. 

40  cents. 
Classic  Stories,   Lida  B.  McMurry.     Public    School    Publishing 

Co.,  Bloomington,  111.     40  cents. 
The  Four  Wonders:  Cotton,  Wool,  Linen,  Silk,  Elnora  Shillig.    Rand 

McNally  &  Co.,  Chicago.     50  cents. 
Nature    Myths,    Flora    J.    Cooke.     A.    Flanagan,    Chicago.     35 

cents. 
In    Story   Land,    Elizabeth    Harrison.     Sigma    Publishing    Co., 

St.  Louis,  Mo.     $1.25. 
Wee  Tales  for  Wee  People,  Gertrude  Wheeler.     A  series  of  booklets, 

each  containing  from  one  to  three  stories.     R.  M.  Wheeler, 

Portland,  Ore.     20  cents  each. 
The  Teacher's  Story  Teller's  Book,    Alice  O'Grady  and   Frances 

Throop.     Rand  McNally  &  Co.,  Chicago.     $1.00. 
Story  Telling:     What  to  Tell  and  How  to    Tell  It,  Edna  Lyman. 

McClurg,  Chicago.     75  cents. 
How  to  Tell  Stories  to  Children,  Sara  Cone  Bryant.     Houghton, 

Mifflin  &  Co.,  Boston.     $1.00. 
The  Five  Senses,  Angela  M.  Keyes.     Moffat,  Yard  &  Co.,  New 

York.     $1.00. 
Stories  and  Story-klling,  Angela  M.  Keyes.     D.  Appleton  &  Co., 

New  York.     $1.25. 
Literature  in  the  Elementary  School,  Porter  Lander  MacClintock. 

University  of  Chicago  Press,  Chicago.     $1.00. 

III.  Poems 
Songs  of   Tree  Top  and  Meadow,  McMurry  and  Cook.     Public 

School  Publishing  Co.,  Bloomington,  111.    35  cents. 
Little  Rhymes  for  Little  Readers,  Wilhelmina  Seegmiller.     Rand 

McNally  &  Co.,  Chicago.     50  cents. 
Graded  Memory  Selections.    Educational  Publishing  Co.,  Chicago. 

35  cents. 
A    Child's   Garden   of    Verses,    Robert   Louis   Stevenson.     Rand 

McNally  &  Co.,  Chicago.     50  cents. 
Three   Years  with  the  Poets,  Hazard.     Houghton,  Mifflin  &  Co., 

Boston.     50  cents. 


214  Five  Messages 

The  Posy   Ring,   Kate   Douglas   Wiggin.     McClure,   Phillips  & 
Co.,  New  York.    $1.25. 

IV.  Songs  and  Games 

Finger  Plays,  Emilie  Poulsson.     Lothrop  Publishing  Co.,  Boston. 

$1.25. 
Alys  Bentley  Primer  (Teacher's  edition.)     A.  S.  Barnes  &  Co., 

New  York.     $1.00. 
Alys  Bentley  Song  Series,  Book  I.     A.  S.  Barnes  &  Co.,  New  York. 

35  cents. 
Song  Stories  for  the  Kindergarten,  Mildred  and  Patty  Hill.     Clayton 

Summy  Co.,  Chicago.     $1.00. 
Modern  Music  Primer,  Silver,  Burdett  &  Co.,  New  York.     25 

cents. 
A  Primer  on    Voice  and  Singing,  W.  H.  Neidlinger.     Rand  Mc- 

Nally  &  Co.,  Chicago.     75  cents. 
Songs  and   Music  of  Froebel's   Mother   Plays,   Susan   E.    Blow. 

D.  Appleton  &  Co.,  New  York.    $1.50. 
Small  Songs  for  Small  Singers,  W.  H.  Neidlinger.     G.  Schirmer, 

New  York.     $2.00. 
Nature  Songs  and  Lullabies,  Anna  Badlam  and  Carrie  Bullard. 

Clayton  Summy  Co.,  Chicago.    50  cents. 
Child  Song  Book,  Howliston.     American  Book  Co.,  New  York. 

25  cents. 
Songs  of  the  Child  World,  Part  I,  Jessie  L.  Gaynor.     John  Church 

Co.,  Cincinnati,  Ohio.    $1.00. 
Children's    Old    and    New    Singing    Games,    Mari     R.     Hofer. 

A.  Flanagan,  Chicago.    50  cents. 
A  Book  of  Song  Games  and  Ball  Games,  Kate  F.  Bremmer.     Geo. 

Philip,  Son  and  Nephew,  Liverpool,  England.     (McClurg,  Chi- 
cago.)    $1.25. 
Art  Song   Cycles,   Books  I  and  II,   Meissner  and  Fox.     Silver, 

Burdett  &  Co.,  New  York.    25  cents  each. 
Graded     Games      and     Rhythmic     Exercises,     Marion     Newton. 

A.  S.  Barnes  &  Co.,  New  York.    $1.25. 
A  Book  of  Plays  and  Games,  Bella  R.  Parsons.     A.  S.  Barnes  & 

Co.,  New  York.    $1.50. 
Folk     Dances     and     Singing     Games,      Elizabeth      Burchenal. 

G.  Schirmer,   New  York.     $1.50. 


INDEX 

PAGE 

An  Opening  Word 9 

MESSAGE   ONE 

BLACKBOARD   LESSONS 

Introduction 11 

Series  I  of  Model  Lessons 

First  Lesson 13 

Discussion  of  First  Lesson 14 

Second  Lesson 15 

Discussion  of  Second  Lesson 16 

Third  Lesson 17 

Discussion  of  Third  Lesson 18 

Fourth  Lesson 19 

Discussion  of  Fourth  Lesson 20 

Fifth  Lesson 21 

Discussion  of  Fifth  Lesson 22 

Survey  at  Close  of  Series  I 22 

Series  II  of  Model  Lessons 

First  Lesson 25 

Discussion  of  First  Lesson 26 

Second  Lessen 26 

Discussion  of  Second  Lesson 27 

Third  Lesson 30 

Discussion  of  Third  Lesson 31 

Fourth  Lesson 32 

Discussion  of  Fouth  Lesson 34 

Fifth  Lesson 36 

Discussion  of  Fifth  Lesson 37 

Survey  at  Close  of  Series  II 39 

Types  of  Lessons  Omitted  from  this  Scheme  ....  41 

MESSAGE  TWO 
TEACHING  THE  PRIMER  AND  THE  FIRST  READER 
Presenting  the  Books 

Introducing  the  Primer 44 

Transition  from  Script  to  Print 44 

215 


216  Five  Messages 

PAGE 

Phases  in  the  Development  of  a  Lesson 45 

Planning  the  Work 50 

Habits  Which  First-Grade  Pupils  Should  Form  in  Reading  .  51 

Review  of  Past  Lessons 56 

Practices  in  Book  Lessons  for  Teachers  to  Guard  Against   .  57 
Supplementing  the  Books 

Opening  Exercises 59 

Help  from  Parents 60 

Songs  and  Games 60 

Dramatization 61 

Stories        61 

Poems 64 

MESSAGE   THREE 
WORD   STUDY 

Introduction 65 

Words  as  Wholes  * 

First  Quarter 68 

Second  Quarter 74 

Third  and  Fourth  Quarters 80 

Phonics 

Foreword 86 

First  and  Second  Quarters 91 

Third  and  Fourth  Quarters 98 

Spelling 107 

MESSAGE  FOUR 
SEAT   WORK 

Introduction no 

First  and  Second  Quarters 

Words  as  Wholes .118 

Sentences 121 

Phonics 122 

Reading 123 

Written  Dictation 124 

Third  and  Fourth  Quarters 

Words  as  Wholes 127 

Sentences 128 

Alphabet  Cards 132 

Phonics 134 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  217 

PAGE 

Reading 135 

Written  Dictation 135 

Written  Work 142 

Conclusion 143 

MESSAGE   FIVE 

OUTLINES  OF   SUBJECT  MATTER 

September 
People 

Mother 146 

Children 147 

Pets — Cat 149 

Needs  of  People  and  Pets 

Food 155 

Training 171 

Birds 189 

Flowers 194 

Trees 199 

Landscape 205 

October 
People 

Father -  147 

Children 147 

Pets — Cat 149 

Needs  of  People  and  Pets 

Food 155 

Clothing 161 

Training 171 

Special  Days — Hallowe'en 180 

Birds 189 

Flowers 194 

Trees 199 

Landscape 205 

November 

Pets — Dog 150 

Needs  of  People  and  Pets 

Food 155 

Clothing 161 

Training 171 

Special  Days — Thanksgiving 183 


218  Five  Messages 

PAGE 

Birds 190 

Flowers 196 

Trees 199 

Landscape 205 

December 

Pets — Dog 150 

Needs  of  People  and  Pets 

Food 156 

Shelter 162 

Training 171 

Special  Days — Christmas 184 

Birds 190 

Flowers 196 

Trees 201 

Landscape 206 

January 

Pets — Rabbit 152 

Needs  of  People  and  Pets 

Food 156 

Clothing 161 

Shelter 163 

Heat 165 

Training 171 

Special  Days — New  Year 186 

Birds 190 

Trees 201 

Landscape 206 

February 

Needs  of  People  and  Pets 

Food 156 

Light 168 

Training 171 

Special  Days 

St.  Valentine's  Day 187 

Washington's  Birthday 188 

Birds 190 

Trees 201 

Landscape 206 

March 

Pets — Chicken 153 


To   Teachers  of  Primary  Reading  2ig 

PAGE 

Needs  of  People  and  Pets 

Food 158 

Air 170 

Training 171 

Birds 191 

Flowers 196 

Trees 202 

Landscape 208 

April 

Pets — Chicken 153 

Needs  of  People  and  Pets 

Food 158 

Water 170 

Training 171 

Special  Days — Arbor  Day 188 

Birds 191 

Flowers 197 

Trees 202 

Landscape 209 

May 

Needs  of  People  and  Pets 

Food 158 

Shelter          163 

Training 171 

Special  Days — Bird  Day 188 

Birds 191 

Flowers 197 

Trees           202 

Landscape 209 

June 

Completion  of  Unfinished  Subjects. 


The  Effective  Teacher 

"The  moment  a  man  ceases  to  be  a  systematic  student, 
he  ceases  to  be  an  effective  teacher." — /.  G.  Fitch. 

Take  heed,  therefore.  Never  let  your  interest  flag,  your 
faith  waver.  Seek  new  sources  of  thought  and  inspiration. 
Try  books  like  these — they  embody  a  lifetime  of  experience. 

READING   CIRCLE   BOOKS 

Common  Sense  Didactics;     Henry  Sabin,  formerly 
Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction  for  the  State  of  Iowa. 
Cloth,  343  pages $1.00 

The  Child:   His  Thinking,  Feeling  and  Doing. 

Amy  Eliza  Tanner,  Clark  University,  Worcester,  Massa- 
chusetts. 

Cloth,  430  pages $1.25 

Growing    a    Life.       Charles    A.  Evans,    B.Sc,   M.A., 
President  of  State  Normal  School,  Edmond,  Oklahoma. 
Cloth,  214  pages $1.00 

Ideals  and  Democracy.     Arthur  Henry  Chamberlain, 
Formerly  Dean  of  Throop  Polytechnic  Institute.    Editor 
of  Sierra  Educational  News,  San  Francisco,  California. 
Cloth,  173  pages $1.00 

The  Teaching  of  Geography  in  Elementary 
Schools.  By  Richard  Elwood  Dodge,  Professor  of 
Geography,  Teachers  College,  Columbia  University,  and 
Clara  B.  Kirchwey,  Instructor  in  Geography,  Horace 
Mann  School  and  Teachers  College,  Columbia  University, 
New  York. 

Cloth,  248  pages $1.00 

Send  for  full  list  of  Teachers'   Books 

Rand  McNally  &  Company 

CHICAGO  NEW  YORK 


UCLA-Young   Research   Library 

LB1525   .S27 
V 


L   009   593   997   1 


UNIVERSITY  of  CALIFORNIA 
BRARY 


